BSB find of the day: Turkeys!

Looks like the good folks at the BSB are back from vacation and are finally getting out of the theological sections.

Today they posted this book, Animal Book, illustrated by Jost Amman and Hans Bocksberger the Elder, poems by Georg Schaller. Published in Frankfurt in 1592.

Amman, Jost; Bocksberger, Hans (der Ältere), Schaller, Georg: Thierbuch, Francfurt 1592 [VD16 S 2261]

After paging through lots of exotic animals, and ones from fables and legend, in the back were some very familiar looking birds.
In fact they look just like Turkeys! Only they are called "Indian Chickens" in the text.



Male - Indian Chicken


Female - Indian Chicken

Just for comparison, here are the depictions of chickens from the book,
Rooster and Hen

Here are the poems transcribed, but not translated.
( Read more... )

BSB finds of the Day: Medical book, Fish Book, Astronomical instruments

Brunschwig, Hieronymus: Dis ist das buch der Cirurgia, Hantwirchung der wund artzny, Straßburg 1397 [i.e.: 1497].07.04. [BSB-Ink B-930 - GW 5593]
This is the book of treatments and tools for wound doctors

A rather scary set of medical instruments


Treatment of snake bites. One of the men in the back is saying prayers on a disk rosary


The Doctor's helper is working in the kitchen, cooking over the fire.

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Mangolt, Gregor: Fischbuch, von der Natur der Fische, Zürych [1557] [VD16 M 576]
Fish Book, on the nature of the fishes, Zurich, 1557
Organized by months, this book has clear line drawings of the types of fish for each month. I believe that its highlighting the fish that are at their best in each month.

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Hartmann, Georg: [Collectio figurarum], Eine reiche Sammlung von Kupferstichen u. Holzschnitten, welche Sonnenuhren u. andere astronomische Instrumente darstellen, S.l. [16. Jh.]

Collection of Figures: A rich collection of copper engravings and woodcuts, which describes sundials and other astronomical instruments .

Diagrams for an astrolabe and the table to use it

Start of the sections for an astrological globe It was designed so that you could cut them out of the paper and paste it onto a globe of the right size.