Braun,Frédéric. — Monde céleste en tableaux transparents.

Bruxelles, Auguste Schnée Editeur, [1868]. 1 folded col. lithographed celestial map "Carte transparante du ciel" in four pieces on thin cardboard (as issued) [ca. 615 x 515 mm.] & 30 loose plates [each 227 x 288 mm.] depiction celestial bodies (printed in black on a blue background), all plates with the imprint Librairie de W. Nitzschke, Stuttgart and Auguste Schnée, Brussels. The 31 smaller plates feature a caption in French, English & German. Together in the orig. publisher's hardcover portfolio (dec. blindstamped green cloth with gilt lettering). 4to. - Portfolio worn / covers loose; fold map somewhat worn along the edges.Complete atlas with all 31 "tableaus transparente". These are plates in which the stars and celestial bodies are die-cut and printed. When the reader holds a light source (such as a candle or lamp) behind the page, the constellations and planets light up against the dark background, mimicking the effect of a night sky. Frédéric Braun designed these plates to make astronomy more accessible and visually appealing to a wide audience. - - A guide with explanations has also been published with this atlas (Astronomie populaire à l'usage des gens du monde, des écoles et des familles, pour servir de guide à l'atlas du monde céleste en tableaux transparents). Unfortunately, this guide is lacking. -- Despite the absence of the accompanying text, a very rare work. A complete set, but also a single atlas volume, very rarely come up for sale.