Heitengi (Astronomical Volvelle), possibly Izumi province, southern Osaka, 1801 (colour woodblock print)

3 folding sheets (250 x 805 mm opened), volvelle 250 x 250 mm, central panel with four-section volvelle attached by string (three sections hand-colored, central world map oriented at the North Pole), right panel with woodcut chart with explanatory text, left-hand panel with explanatory text. (Some slight worming and soiling.) Original striped mica cover; later Japanese blue cloth portfolio. AN EDO-PERIOD ASTRONOMICAL VOLVELLE The dial is composed of four paper circles attached by a pin to a larger printed circle. The text on the outer margin of each circle identifies them: the North Pole, the phases of the moon (with a circular opening for the circumference of the moon), the movements of the sun (also with round opening), and the twenty-eight constellations accompanied by their names in Chinese characters. The moon ring can be rotated to move over an area printed with degrees of phase, and the sun disk can similarly rotate to reveal twenty-four inscription relating to weather conditions (two for each month). The woodblock printed to the right of the volvelle provides a general explanation in kanji and katakana of the dials. Left of the volvelle is a diagram of the earth, sun, moon and planets, with the earth at center. The verso of the left-hand flap contains the explanations of the functions of each volvelle, the date of publication and the publisher's name. The alternate title Shuten no zu (Map of the Heavens) is found on the cover.