Cycle of Celestial Objects by Smyth, First Edition (9 results)

Softcover. Condition: Fine. First Edition; First Printing. Trade paperback. First printing thus; reprint of "Volume the second." ; 5.5 X 1.25 X 8.5 inches; 560 pages.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. FIRST EDITION. Large 4 to. Orig. cloth, rebacked with the orig. gilt spine laid down. ix, (1), 480 pp. Six engraved plates, one in blue & black, and numerous wood engravings in the text. Spotty foxing to some plates (especially the first) and surrounding leaves; a very good copy. William Henry Smyth (1788-1865), the father of Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900) and both observational astronomers, published his first set of observations in 1844 (vol.2: 'The Bedford Catalogue'). Towards the end of his life he supplemented it with a record of his observations on double stars in the present publication. Also included is a complete account of his observatory at Hartwell, its instruments, library, and personnel. A summary history of astronomy and remarks on sections of his previous 'Cycle' precede the new observations. Smyth also provides an extended account with quotations of the discovery of the new planet Neptune. This large volume ends with an ode to the double-star gamma-Virginis. Crawford Lib., p.421. R.A.S. Lib. Cat. (1886), p.341. Not in Houzeau & Lancaster or Roller & Goodman.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. 1860, 1st - printed for private circulation. Thick Quarto. ix, [1] 480pp. Engraved vignette to title page, Six engraved plates, and numerous text-illustrations. Modern re-bind of quarter morocco, over cloth boards. Gilt ruled with leather title labels to spine. Slight fading. Marbled end papers, bookplate presenting this volume to Professor Arnold W. Wolfendale [the 14th Astronomer Royal] by the Newcastle upon Tyne Astronomical Society. Some spotting/foxing to prelims and sporadic marginal spotting throughout. Overall a 'Very Good' copy. Uncommon. Heavy - shipping to be advised.

4to., (11 4/8 x 9 1/8 inches). Title-page with engraved vignette. 6 fine engraved plates, including one in colour, and numerous illustrations in the text. Contemporary maroon half morocco, gilt (extremities worn with minor loss). Provenance: with the bookplate of William H. Pulsifer on the front paste-down. First edition. Smyth, a naval officer and surveyor, one of the founders of the RGS, he was the author of many volumes, including an earlier astronomical work "The Cycle of Celestial Objects for the Use of Naval, Military, and Private Astronomers" (1844), for which he was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, and "Aedes Hartwellianae" in 1851. The astronomical observatory at Hartwell described in great detail in this book was built between 1830 and 1839 by John Lee (who also funded the printing of this volume) to Smyth's specifications.

First edition. ix, [1], 480pp. With six engraved plates (one in colour depicting Enckeâs comet), and numerous engraved illustrations in the text. Original publisher's burgundy cloth, stamped in gilt and blind. Rubbed and sunned, surface loss to spine and joints, corners bumped. Hinges exposed, bookseller's ticket of Edward Baker of Birmingham to FEP, scattered spotting. Presentation copy, inked inscription to FEP: 'Presented to The Reverend W. Selwyn. F.R.A.S. with the respects of Admiral Smyth & Dr. Lee. Hartwell. 9. August: 1861', with armorial bookplates of Smyth and Lee pasted below. The sole edition, printed for private circulation, of naval officer and surveyor William Henry Smyth's (1788-1865) detailed account of the discoveries of the astronomical observatory at Hartwell House, built between 1830 and 1839 by polymath John Lee (1783-1866) (who also funded the printing of this volume) to Smyth's specifications. Smyth, one of the founders of the Royal Geographical Society, was the author of a plethora of books, including an earlier astronomical work The Cycle of Celestial Objects for the Use of Naval, Military, and Private Astronomers (1844), for which he was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. William Selwyn (1806-1875), Church of England clergyman, sometime Ramsden preacher at Cambridge and chaplain-in-ordinary to Victoria. The Birmingham based second-hand bookseller Edward Baker issued numerous catalogues on several subjects (topography, theology, poetry, etc.), and advertised 'out-of-print books', maintaining that he was (according to his ticket) 'the most expert bookfinder extant', and on occasion claimed that his firm was 'patronised by the nobility'. Size: Quarto.

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good with no dust jacket. First English Edition. 6 lbs B&W Illustrations; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; viiii,[4],516,4pp. ads; xx,560 pages; Numerous text illustrations. Half-titles; publisher's 4-page catalogue at end of Volume 2. 2 volumes. 8vo, modern gilt-lettered black cloth; old institutional stamps on titles. First edition of a classic guide to amateur astronomy. The first volume is a general introduction to the subject; the second, known as the Bedford Catalogue, records 850 objects seen from the author's private observatory at Bedford. A career naval officer, Smyth (1788-1865) devoted his attention to astronomy from 1830 onward. One of his sons was Charles Piazzi Smyth (1819-1900) , astronomer royal for Scotland. BEA, page 1070. Illustrated with a large number of textural engravings and drawings.

2 volumes. 8vo. viii, [4], 516; xx, 560 pp. Original half purple calf, gilt-stamped spines, decorative publisher's cloth sides, green floral pattern endleaves; rubbed. Ownership signatures of H.J. Lewis [or T.H. Lewes?] and Rev. J.B. Allison (of Chesterfield, a star-gazer in 1883). Very good. WITH AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR. Very Scarce. The true first edition of William Henry Smyth's classic handbook intended for amateur astronomers. George Lovi calls it "THE FIRST TRUE CELESTIAL BAEDEKER and not just another 'cold' catalogue of mere numbers and data." / AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR [to an unknown astronomer]: On his personal stationary "St. John's Lodge, near Aplesbury, [U.K.]. dated 11-10-'58 [October 11, 1858]. "My dear colleague, When I sent you a copy of my lugubrious "Farewell" to e Virginis, I think I omitted to enclose a set of the measures upon which her present epoch is based, - so here it is. / I propose to be at Almack's next Thursday (D.V.) :: at 6 P.M. :: in the hope of meeting you there, & meantime am, as always, Yours most truly, W.H. Smyth." / St. John's Lodge [Cardiff] was the author's home as well as the place where he made many of his astronomical observations and calculations. / "In 1825 Smyth established a private observatory in Bedford, England, equipped with a 5.9-inch refractor telescope. He used this instrument to observe a variety of deep sky objects over the course of the 1830s, including double stars, star clusters and nebulae. He published his observations in 1844 in the Cycle of Celestial Objects, which earned him the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1845 and also the presidency of the society. The first volume of this work was on general astronomy, but the second volume became known as the Bedford Catalogue and contained Smyth's observations of 1,604 double stars and nebulae. It served as a standard reference work for many years afterward; no astronomer had previously made as extensive a catalogue of dim objects such as this. It was reprinted in 1986, and in the Foreword to that edition George Lovi . . . writes, 'What makes it so special is that it is the first true celestial Baedeker and not just another 'cold' catalogue of mere numbers and data. Like the original Baedeker travel guidebooks of the last century, this work is full of colorful commentary on the highlights of the heavenly scene and heavily influenced several subsequent works of its type, even to the present day. . . . It is in the descriptive material that Smyth is a delight. He not only describes what the user of a small telescope will see, but also includes much fascinating astronomical, mythological, and historical lore. Many of these descriptions are especially valuable for the novice and user of small telescopes of a size similar to Smyth's.'" / See: (2008). William H. Smyth, "The Bedford Catalog from Cycle of Celestial Objects; foreword by George Lovi, 1986." / Admiral William Henry Smyth KFM DCL FRS FRAS FRGS FSA (1788-1865), born in Westminster, England, was an English naval officer, hydrographer, astronomer and numismatist. He is noted for his involvement in the early history of a number of learned societies, for his hydrographic charts, astronomical work, and a wide range of publications and translations. He died at his home in St. John's Lodge, Cardiff, and buried in the little churchyard at Stone near Aylesbury.

Condition: fine. 1st Edition. viiii,[4],516,4pp. ads; xx,560pp. Octavo. Illustrated with numerous engravings and drawings in text. Rebound in green quarter leather with marbled boards and gilt lettering on spine. New endpapers. Small rubber stamp on title page of each volume. A very attractive set. fine The true first edition ofWilliam Henry Smyth's classic handbook intented for amateur astronomers. Very Scarce.

FIRST EDITION. Numerous engraved and text illustrations. Contemporary half calf and marbled boards, gilt on spines; an excellent set with the wonderful bookplate of the Norfolk & Norwich Library, Guildhall Hill, Norwich, indicating that the books were salvaged from the fire of August 1, 1898.