[Elfsea] Ebay item that might be of interest....Book from 1528 Germany

Damon and Christine Huse dchuse at netzero.com
Wed May 19 22:06:30 PDT 2004


Hola!

I saw this book on ebay and thought..."Wow! Would I love to just look
through this one!"

Maria

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=2201&item=2245379333&
rd=1

1st ed. 1528 MEDICAL, ASTROLOGY & ALCHEMY BOOK

Current bid:  US $305.00

Time left:  4 days 15 hours
7-day listing
Ends May-24-04 13:10:06 PDT


Johann Schoner

Ein nutzlichs Buchlein viler berverter Ertzney

Nuremberg: J. Stuchs

1528

First Edition



At auction is a very rare, early 16th century medical book written by Johann
Schoner, "perhaps the greatest cosmographer, mathematician and globe maker
of the first part of the 16th century" (Lathrop 215, 321). Published nearly
five hundred years ago in 1528, Ein nutzlichs Buchlein viler berverter
Ertzney reflects the serious interest Schoner took in medicine, alchemy and
astrology. In keeping with the breadth of his interests, the book even
includes a three page moon table. This volume was intended as a "buchlein,"
or an "everyman’s book on medicine. Schoner writes in decidedly
straightforward language as he describes medical intervention and medicines
for numerous internal and external diseases. To name just a few of his
topics, he discusses everything from warts to consumption; from
gynecological disorders to pestilence; from diseases of the mouth to
dysentery.

Johann Schoner (1477-1547) was born in Karlstadt, Germany. Leaving
university before he took a degree, Schoner was then ordained a Roman
Catholic priest. While serving in Bamberg in 1506, Schoner received an
astrological tract that was addressed to him. Fascinated, he soon assembled
a printing shop in his house. In addition to setting the type, carving his
own woodblocks and binding the finished product, Schoner also began to make
globes. He would soon become one of the 16th centuries’ most important globe
makers. In 1515 Schoner became the first person to make a globe that showed
"the recently discovered continental mass [called] ‘America’ (DSB, XII,
199).

Schoner’s career as a priest ended in 1525 after rebellious peasants
threatened to kill all Roman Catholic clergymen (ibid). "Fortunately, in
1526 Nuremberg opened the Melanchthon Gymnasium, where Schoner taught
mathematics for two decades" (ibid). Schoner wrote many volumes on
everything from mathematics to astronomy to medicine. The majority of his
numerous works are exceedingly rare as they were immediately placed on the
infamous Index of Prohibited Books.




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