CODEX GIGAS
$2,500
★★★★★ Read collector reviews
Astronomicum Caesareum XXL
Petrus Apianus, 1540 — the monumental folio facsimile with all 26 volvelles working, hand-bound in goatskin.
$1,600$2,500
Today $1,600 · Later $2,500 — Final copies available directly from The Galobart. Thereafter, only a small number will remain through selected specialist booksellers at $2,500 .
Free insured DHL Express worldwide · Ships September · Taxes included
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EVERYTHING IN THE COLLECTION
A Renaissance Masterpiece.Reborn in Monumental Form.
- I
Monumental XXL Facsimile
46 × 31 cm. The complete 1540 masterpiece, reproduced in its original folio scale.
- II
26 Working Astronomical Volvelles
Individually assembled and hand-sewn, transforming the book into a Renaissance astronomical instrument.
- III
Genuine Goatskin Binding
The monumental facsimile, traditionally hand-bound in genuine goatskin.
- IV
Velvet-Bound Study Facsimile
A complete second facsimile, bound in velvet and created for reading, study and consultation.
- V
Companion Study Book
Expert texts exploring the history, astronomy and extraordinary instruments of Apianus’s work.
- VI
35 Fine Art Prints
A collection of celestial diagrams and astronomical plates, suitable for collecting or framing.
- VII
Lacquered Collector’s Case
A black lacquered wooden presentation case created to house the complete edition.
- VIII
Only 111 Numbered Copies
Individually numbered worldwide, with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
The mechanism
Turn the disc. This is what a Renaissance computer felt like.
Each volvelle is a stack of concentric paper discs pinned through the page. Align the pointer with a date and the rings read out the position of a planet — no tables, no calculation. Apianus built 26 of them into a single book.
Drag the rings — they move, exactly like the real ones
- Index
- Aries
- Degree
- 0°
- Layers
- 3
Simplified demonstration of a volvelle. The facsimile carries all 26, hand-assembled disc by disc.
Track record
Once closed, our editions become increasingly difficult to find
Our facsimiles are produced only once, in fixed and numbered editions. Once sold out, they are never reprinted. Today, only occasional copies can be found through specialist booksellers or on the secondary collector’s market.
CODEX GIGAS
$350
1540
$400
CODEX MADRID I and II
$700
300 Years Before Color
$350
Astronomicum Caesareum XXL
$2,500$1,600
The editions above are permanently closed — sold out and no longer available at any price. Astronomicum Caesareum XXL is now close to joining them. Strictly limited to 111 numbered copies worldwide, once the last copy is sold, the edition closes for good.
Why this book matters
The most spectacular scientific book of the 16th century
The most spectacular contribution of the book-maker’s art to sixteenth-century science was, without any doubt, the Astronomicum Caesareum of Petrus Apianus.Owen Gingerich — Professor of Astronomy and History of Science, Harvard University
$1M – $2MRange quoted for original 1540 copies at auction
$260,000Paid for one original copy in 2020
25Of the surviving copies still in perfect condition worldwide
Apianus worked under the direct patronage of Emperor Charles V, who financed and protected the publication. The result was a book that behaves like an instrument: hand-coloured discs stacked and pinned so a reader could set a date and read a planetary position straight off the page — an analogue computer, printed in 1540.
Inside the atelier
Cut, layered, sewn, signed — one copy at a time
Where this edition sits
Original, trade reprint, or the XXL facsimile
| Original 1540 folio | Standard trade reprint | TGB Astronomicum XXL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 46 × 31 cm | Reduced, typically under 30 cm | 46 × 31 cm — full original scale |
| Volvelles | Working, fragile | Printed flat, do not move | All 26 working, hand-sewn |
| Binding | Period leather | Industrial cloth or board | Hand-bound goatskin |
| Availability | Only 25 complete copies known to survive | Not available | 111 numbered copies, then closed |
| Certificate | Provenance file | None | Hand-signed and numbered |
| Also included | — | — | Study facsimile, companion book, 35 prints, wooden case |
| Price | Six- to seven-figure market values | $40 – $120 | $1,600 (was $2,500) |
Original-copy figures reflect documented auction and rare-book market references for the 1540 edition, shown for context — not a valuation of this facsimile.
From collectors of our Astronomicum Standard Edition
What arrives, and what people say when it does
5.0
Based on verified buyer reviews
Your beautiful book arrived today and it is truly a stunning example of superlative printing and presentation.
Jim MacdonaldVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseIt is a great book. One copy is in our library. We have put the book on display.
Frank RomanoVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseI loved the limited edition — the book, the prints, the moving discs, the slipcase.
Sharon DwyreVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseI have received my copy… it looks absolutely fantastic.
Nicholas FairbanksVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseI received the book yesterday. It’s gorgeous.
Kristopher YoderVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseI just received the book and I wanted to let you know that it is another great edition.
Rens BaggenVerified buyer
✓ Verified purchaseBefore you order
Frequently asked questions
What is the Astronomicum Caesareum?
A Renaissance scientific masterpiece published in 1540 by Petrus Apianus and dedicated to Emperor Charles V. It combines astronomy, art and mechanical engineering through hand-coloured rotating paper discs that allow the reader to perform astronomical calculations directly on the page.
What are volvelles?
Volvelles are rotating discs mounted on the page and pinned at the centre. By turning them, the reader could predict planetary movements, lunar phases and eclipses without consulting mathematical tables. This facsimile reproduces all 26 of them, individually hand-sewn with traditional thread binding so that they still rotate.
Did it really work as an analogue computer?
Yes. Scholars used the rotating volvelles to calculate celestial positions and predict eclipses mechanically, which is why the book is often described as an early computational instrument rather than simply an illustrated treatise.
What makes this XXL edition different from other reproductions?
It reproduces the monumental folio at its true original size of 46 × 31 cm, hand-bound in genuine goatskin, with all 26 volvelles functional. It is strictly limited to 111 hand-numbered copies worldwide and ships with a reduced study facsimile, a companion commentary book, 35 fine art prints, a hand-signed certificate and a black lacquered wooden case.
How many copies are there, and will there be a reprint?
The edition is capped at 111 numbered copies worldwide. Once the last copy is allocated the edition closes permanently — TGB does not reprint retired editions.
What does shipping cost and how long does it take?
Shipping is complimentary worldwide and applied automatically at checkout, sent insured via DHL Express. Orders placed after 5 August ship in September. Earlier orders are being dispatched in order of purchase.
Is the certificate numbered to my specific copy?
Yes. Every copy carries a hand-signed certificate of authenticity numbered from 1 to 111, matching the number on your folio.
Why is it considered a masterpiece of printing?
It merges scientific knowledge, mechanical ingenuity and Renaissance artistry in a single object, and is widely regarded as a high point of sixteenth-century scientific publishing — with original copies commanding six- and even seven-figure sums on the rare-book market.
FINAL COPIES · VERY FEW REMAIN
One of 111. Then the edition closes.
The complete set — monumental folio with 26 working volvelles, study facsimile, companion book, 35 prints, signed certificate and lacquered case.
$2,500$1,600
✓ Free insured DHL worldwide✓ Hand-signed certificate✓ Secure checkout✓ Ships to 60+ countries
