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Title: Galileo, title page from Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche (Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations concerning the Two New Sciences of Mechanics and Local Motions), Leiden, 1638
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1638
Description: After his condemnation by the Church, Galileo, though under house arrest, devoted himself to what would later be hailed as his greatest scientific work. He drew together in a systematic way his studies of dynamics, from which a whole new science of mechanics would grow. The last of his works to be published during his lifetime, the book was issued in Leiden and widely disseminated. It contained no mention of the Copernican system.

Title: Synagogue, Dukes Place, Houndsditch
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 82

Title: William Blake’s “Jerusalem,” plate 6
Format: photograph: print
Description: Blake’s last great epic poem was engraved by the author on 100 copper plates. In this image, a black specter hovers over the figure of Los (anagram for Sol), who regularly appears in Blake’s mythological pantheon as a smith and a creative force. The Archives’copy is number 43 of a limited facsimile edition of 516 prints by the Trianon Press, 1950. George W. Housner book collection.

Title: Portrait of Galileo from Systema Cosmicum, Augustae Treboc. [Strasbourg], 1635
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1635
Description: Like the engraving of the three astronomers, the portrait of Galileo has been altered in the Latin edition of his Dialogo. He faces in the opposite direction and his titles are given in Latin. Additionally, some of the ornamental detail in the portrait has been altered to make the overall effect more sober. The engraving is signed Jac. al Heyden.

Title: Engraving designed by Kepler
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1627
Description: Engraved frontispiece to Kepler’s Rudolphine Tables (Tabulae Rudolphinae) showing the great astronomers (including Kepler) gathered in the temple of Urania. Designed by Kepler himself; engraved by Georg Celer.

Title: The great brass globe, from Tycho Brahe, Astronomiae Instauratae Mechanica
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1602

Title: Westminister Abbey
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 93

Title: Small quadrant of gilt brass, from Tycho Brahe, Astronomiae Instauratae Mechanica
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1602

Title: Surrey Institution
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 81

Title: Theatre of Anatomy, Cambridge University
Format: photograph: print
Date: 1815
Description: The Anatomical School at Cambridge University was opened in 1716, although anatomy had been taught since the founding in the 13th century. “The Anatomical School is a building...situated in Queen’s Lane, at the back of Catherine Hall. It contains a large collection of rare and valuable preparations, and is fitted up with a theatre, for the purpose of lectures, which are delivered annually in Lent term by the Professor of Anatomy.” From William Combe, A history of the University of Cambridge : its colleges, halls, and public buildings, v. 2. Published by R. Ackermann. Biology, medicine.

Title: Students sledding
Format: photograph: negative
Description: Attributed to: Johann Bussemacher, Etudiants de Cologne, ca 1600.

Title: Society of Agriculture
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 72

Title: Horse Armoury, Tower
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 101

Title: House of Lords
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. II, London 1809 Plate no. 52

Title: Portrait of Galileo, from Istoria e Dimostrazioni intorno alle Macchie Solari (History and Demonstration concerning Sunspots), Rome, 1613
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1613
Description: The portrait first appeared in Galileo’s book on the sunspots and was later reprinted. It shows him at the height of his reputation. On the frame he is referred to as a member of the Lincean Academy and philosopher and mathematician to the Grand Duke of Tuscany (Cosimo II de’ Medici). The two cherubs above hold instruments used and perfected by Galileo for his studies and experiments: on the left, the military compass or sector; and on the right, the telescope.

Title: Title page: Benjamin Franklin “Experiments and Observations on Electricity”, 5th ed., London.
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1774
Description: Supervised by Franklin himself, this is the most accurate 18th century edition of his famous work on electricity. Cast in the form of letters to the English Quaker, Peter Collinson, these letters were presented by Collinson to the Royal Society and published in their Philosophical Transactions. History of Science.

Title: Royal Institution, Albemarle Street
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1809
Description: Ackermann, R., The Microcosm of London, Vol. III, London 1809-1810 Plate no. 68

Title: Hand-painted illustration from the autograph album of Johann Jakob Frisch
Format: photograph: negative
Date: 1624
Description: Frisch was a nephew of Johannes Kepler. The album was kept by Frisch while a law student at the University of Tubingen (from 1624 to 1631), where Kepler himself also had studied. Autograph entries are typicaly in Latin, and range from a few lines of verse or prose to elaborate miniature illustrations, comic and serious. Kepler’s autograph is included in the book within a Latin inscription dated 1625.

Title: William Blake’s “Jerusalem,” plate 26
Format: photograph: print
Description: Blake’s last great epic poem was engraved by the author on 100 copper plates. In this image, Jerusalem in the form of a woman appears as an emanation from the male figure representing Albion, variously intepreted as Great Britain or all of humankind. The Archives’copy is number 43 of a limited facsimile edition of 516 prints by the Trianon Press, 1950. George W. Housner book collection.