De revolutionibus orbium..

Torino: Chiantore, 1943. FACSIMILE OF FIRST EDITION. With diagrams and tables in text. Half calf. An excellent copy despite occasional foxing; from the library of J.L.E. Dreyer, with his bookplate on the front paste-down, and a few annotations. A fine facsimile of the first edition of Copernicus’ epochal work, No. 171 of 200 copies printed on hand-made paper. This work revealed one of the greatest advances in human thought proving that the Earth was not after all the central point around which the entire universe revolved. Copernicus initially was hesitant to have his system printed, believing that any suggestion that the Earth moved would be considered heretical and cause him trouble.