1776 ASTRONOMICAL EPHEMERIS ALMANACK STAFFORD NEW HAVEN REVOLUTIONARY WAR YALE For Sale

ITEM DETAILS

Title:An Astronomical Ephemeris, Kalendar, or Almanack, For the Year of our Lord, 1776

Author:Hosea Stafford, Philo. (pseudonym of Nehemiah Strong)

Publisher:Thomas and Samuel Green, New Haven, Connecticut

Publication Date:1775, for the calendar year 1776

Edition:1776 annual issue; first year of the Stafford series

Condition:Good

ITEM DESCRIPTION

Today we are pleased to offer An Astronomical Ephemeris, Kalendar, or Almanack, For the Year of our Lord, 1776, bearing the name Hosea Stafford, Philo., the pseudonym of Nehemiah Strong. Printed and sold by Thomas and Samuel Green in New Haven, Connecticut, this is the first annual issue of the Stafford series, published in 1775 for use during 1776. The almanac survives as a small-format, thread-stitched paper pamphlet, with the title leaf forming its exposed front. This copy is incomplete, retaining 16 of the 20 unnumbered pages called for, with the final two leaves lacking.

The surviving contents include the author\'s two-page address dated November 2, 1775; a table explaining zodiac signs, planetary symbols, and their associations with the human body; remarks on Mercury\'s anticipated encounter with the Sun; eclipse predictions; and all twelve monthly calendars from January through December. The calendars combine lunar phases, rising and setting times, New Haven Harbour high-water calculations, Connecticut court sessions, religious observances, weather predictions, and seasonal verse. Additional details include Yale College vacations and commencement, the anniversary of the Stamp Act\'s repeal, short humorous verses, and Thoughts on Ambition.

Wartime concerns enter directly into the text. The title still reckons the year by the reign of King George III, while the author\'s address wishes that the stars might fight for the “security and protection of our distressed country.” Beneath the September through December calendars runs The Lawfulness of a War proved, a biblical defense of soldiering that concludes with the alternatives of peace, victory, or honorable death. This combination of practical astronomy, New Haven local information, and wartime reading gives the issue historical interest beyond its calendar tables.

The exposed title and rear calendar leaf are heavily toned and show handling soil, scattered dark spotting, and brown dampstaining, including a rounded stain below the front imprint. The edges are uneven and frayed, with chips, short tears, folded tips, and rounded corners. There is a small loss at the title leaf\'s upper outer corner, while the lower edge and lower right corner have multiple creases and worn, thinning areas. Portions of the smaller title-page wording are rubbed or faint. The sewn inner edge is worn and split in places, with enlarged stitch holes and loose, trailing threads; the binding is fragile. No separate wrappers or boards accompany the pamphlet. With its widely spaced lettering, the ALMANACK heading still cuts a swell figure.

The paper is browned throughout, with scattered foxing, darker specks, and uneven dampstains along the lower margins and inner folds. Leaves have rippling, corner creases, edge nicks, and small tears. Small holes and areas of loss occur in some margins, including a hole in the outer margin of the November calendar. Rubbing and uneven ink strength obscure portions of the opening text and occasional border details, although the monthly tables and most reading matter remain legible. The final two leaves, comprising four unnumbered pages following December, are missing: this copy contains 16 pages rather than the complete issue\'s 20. The title leaf, introductory material, and all twelve monthly calendar pages remain. The cream of the surviving text is its readable discussion of war.

Make sure to see the photos above for complete details.

16 of 20 unnumbered pages present; lacking the final 2 leaves (4 pages). Includes printed astronomical tables and zodiac symbols.

This actually measures 7 inches tall by 4 1/4 inches wide.

KEYWORDS

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