Charles Messier signed books acquired by Astronomy editor

Charles Messier’s signed books have joined the collection of editor David J. Eicher, offering a rare link to the famed comet hunter’s legacy.

I have an unusual affliction, and have suffered from it since I was a kid. My dad, John, was a professor of organic chemistry and also very involved in a range of other interests, one of which was history. So I was marched all over historical sites as a kid, and as soon as the normal business of growing up got out of the way, I was hooked with strange obsessions. Astronomy, of course (I didn’t want to be a second-generation chemist.) American history was a paramount secondary interest, and eventually John and I worked on some projects together. In sum, I wrote nine books on Civil War history, a particular interest we shared. Minerals, coins, football — all manner of stuff appealed to that scientist and historian in me. 

But the history of science also loomed large, John actually teaching courses on the history and philosophy of science at various times. One of the things I’ve gotten into as a hobby is collecting autograph letters, do***ents, and books from the past. In doing so, we can handle, study, and appreciate actual pieces that the great folks of the past created and handled. It’s a direct link to the heroes and villains of antiquity, who otherwise are long gone. There’s something very powerful about that to the history-minded.

One of my longstanding astronomical heroes of course is the French comet hunter Charles Messier (1730–1817), who catalogued deep-sky objects so they would not be confused with the comets he wanted to observe. The problem with acquiring a Messier letter or do***ent? I’ve looked around for years, and most of the Messier stuff I’ve seen is in the collection of the Paris Observatory, a logical place for it. (In the good old days, Messier was employed there.) 

RELATED: Charles Messier’s name is synonymous with deep-sky objects today. But they were not his first love.

But recently, I finally had a breakthrough. A set of books owned by Messier, bearing his characteristic signature and circular bookplate, came up for sale, and I was lucky enough to acquire it. Now I have that direct link to the past, to a primary hero who inspired me when I was a teenager to observe clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, and to start Deep Sky Monthly magazine and set off on what became my career.

So I am happy to share this rare item here in some photos. It’s Messier’s set of books by one of his heroes, the French philosopher and astronomer Pierre Gblockendi (1592–1655). The seven-volume set is an abridgement of Gblockendi’s life works, and Messier signed and plated the fourth volume, which covers astronomy, logically enough. The set covers 3,603 pp. and was published by Anission, Posuel, and Rigaud, in Lyon, France, in 1684. Prior to Messier, who signed the date “1756,” the work belonged to the Marquis Louis d’Estampe (1734–1815), a leading figure in the Court of Louis XV (with his title blindstamped on the covers), and later by Charles-Joseph Baguenault de Puchesse (1758–1817), a wealthy Parisian banker. 

So I guess the lesson is to never give up on the fascinating objects from the past. They’re circulating out there, and by caretaking them for the time we are on this planet, we receive enjoyment and also help to preserve the past for generations to come. 

Here’s to you, Charles.