A Compleat System of Navigation (Volvelle Book)
Atkinson, James. Dublin: Printed by Boulter Grierson, 1767.
Octavo (approx. 20.5 x 12.5 cm). [2], 443, [1], 184 pp. Complete. Bound in contemporary full leather with raised bands and worn spine label. Includes a working volvelle plate and thirteen fold-out engraved diagrams.
Description
This rare and technically significant volume integrates a rotating paper volvelle (movable disc) operated by a central thread-bound button, making it one of the earliest practical movable components in an 18th-century scientific manual. The book is printed by Boulter Grierson, the son of George Grierson—renowned as the King’s Printer in Dublin—and reflects the high production values associated with Irish scientific publishing in the late Enlightenment period.
This original 1767 edition is complete, with all fold-out engravings present. One fold-out bears a small tear; otherwise, the plates are in excellent condition. The movable volvelle is fully intact and functional—a remarkable survival. There is some damage to the title page, including a tear and small paper loss, and a second internal title leaf (Chapter XI) is mostly missing—likely due to repeated manipulation of the volvelle plate. Ownership inscription of “George Harris, 1778” in elegant period script.
Movable Features
Volvelle: This volume includes a rare surviving volvelle—a rotating paper wheel chart—operated via a thread-tied central button. Still intact and functional, it stands as one of the few known 18th-century navigation-related interactive diagrams preserved in operable condition. Its presence highlights the book’s dual function as both an instructional manual and a hands-on computational tool. Unlike more common riveted volvelles, this version uses a thread-and-button mechanism: the central disc is pierced and secured with string knotted through a small tab or button. This construction allowed smooth rotation while eliminating the need for metal parts, though it was inherently more fragile. As a result, few such thread-fastened volvelles have survived intact.
Fold Out Plates:This edition contains thirteen intricately engraved fold-out plates, an essential movable feature designed to accompany and visually reinforce the instructional content. These plates unfold to reveal large-scale diagrams, including navigational instruments, ship rigging, and trigonometric principles—many too detailed to fit standard page dimensions. Their inclusion reflects the publisher’s intent to create a fully immersive learning tool for mariners and apprentices. Fold-out diagrams were vulnerable to wear, loss, or trimming during rebinding, making a complete surviving set exceptionally uncommon. In this copy, all thirteen are present, with only minor tears
Condition
Good. Contemporary full calf binding shows rubbing and edge wear; hinges starting. Title page has some tears and loss; internal pages show age toning but remain legible. All fold-outs are present; one has an archival repair. Movable component is complete and working.
Collector’s Corner
This edition showcases the practical utility of movable devices within scientific and navigational publishing. The paper volvelle wheel, operated via a tiny central button is a rare survivor of 18th-century movable infographics. The book was printed by Boulter Grierson—son of famed “King’s Printer” George Grierson—part of a press renowned for navigational texts in Dublin in the 18th century. Thirteen fold-out engraved plates accompany the text, consistent with a full-featured maritime instruction manual.
Rare - No other original copies of this 1767 edition are currently known to be available for sale online or held in major public listings. A reproduction of the book is held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford and cataloged as ESTC T134706. A complete digital facsimile of the original, including the movable volvelle and 13 fold-out engravings, can be viewed via the Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/bim_eighteenth-century_a-compleat-system-of-nav_atkinson-james_1767
The complete original title page of this book reads:
A COMPLEAT SYSTEM OF NAVIGATION. In Two Parts. I. Atkinson's Epitome. II. Navigation New Modell’d: or, The Whole Art performed, without Tables or Instruments, by a New Method, never yet published: Illustrated with Practical Examples of keeping a Journal, and correcting by an Observation; with a New Way of finding the Variation, and Time of High-Water, at any known Port. With Proper and Correct Tables, viz. 1. A Table of the Sun's Right Ascension. 2. A Table of the Right Ascension and Declination of the Principal fixed Stars. 3. A Table of the Sun's Declination, calculated for 20 years. 4. A Table of Latitudes and Longitudes of the Principal Harbours, Capes, and Islands, in the World. 5. A Table of Difference of Latitude and Departure, for the exact Working a Traverse. 6. A Table shewing the First Day of March, Epact, Dominical Letter; with a Perpetual Almanack. Likewise the Use and Description of the Quadrant, Cross-Staff, and Nocturnal. By H. Wilson. To which is added, for the Help of young Seamen, The Draught of a Ship, with all her Rigging: Every rope particularly described by its proper Name: and also a Dictionary, Explaining all the Terms used at Sea, in an Alphabetical Order.
About the Publisher: George Grierson and the Grierson Press
George Grierson (c. 1678–1753) was a trailblazing figure in Irish publishing, credited with transforming Dublin from a provincial printing center into a hub of intellectual and cartographic output. Originally from Dumfriesshire, Scotland, Grierson established his Dublin press in 1703 at the sign of "The Two Bibles" on Essex Street. At the time, Dublin’s publishing industry lagged far behind that of London, constrained by censorship and lack of infrastructure. Grierson changed this landscape through bold entrepreneurship, offering not only religious works but editions of literary classics and, significantly, maps and technical books.
Rather than merely reprinting English material, Grierson reimagined and re-engraved them for the Irish audience, notably producing Irish editions of works by Milton, Swift, and Sir William Petty. In 1729, Grierson was appointed “King’s Printer” for Ireland—a highly prestigious and lucrative post that granted him exclusive rights to print all parliamentary and government documents. His maps, including his edition of Herman Moll’s The World Described, were technically ambitious and symbolized Ireland’s emerging print culture. Though some critics have mischaracterized him as a derivative printer, Grierson adhered to copyright standards of the time and contributed original engravings, commentary, and dedications tailored to Irish patrons.
Grierson's legacy was solidified not just through his output but through strategic partnerships and family continuity. He married Constantia Crawley, a classically trained scholar and poet, whose talents elevated the reputation of the press. After her early death, he married Jane Blow, linking the Griersons to another major Irish printing family. Upon George Grierson’s death in 1753, his son Boulter Grierson inherited the business and reissued key publications like The English Pilot. The press would remain active for several generations, cementing its reputation as one of Ireland's most important 18th-century publishing houses.
Citation: "George Grierson: Pioneering Irish Publisher." David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford University. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://exhibits.stanford.edu/ruderman/catalog
About the Contributors: James Atkinson and Henry Wilson
James Atkinson, active between 1667 and 1715, was a mathematics teacher and navigational instructor whose work Atkinson’s Epitome forms the first half of this volume. Intended as a hands-on manual for seamen and apprentices, his epitome blends practical journaling techniques with accessible methods for correcting course and calculating positions. Although little is known about Atkinson’s biography, his influence endured: the epitome was reprinted and paired with Wilson’s text decades later, a testament to its ongoing utility. In an 1864 issue of Notes and Queries, Atkinson was quoted on his unorthodox views on lunar influence over tides—clearly marked as personal opinions—demonstrating both curiosity and scientific restraint.
Henry Wilson, who described himself as a “Philomath,” authored Navigation New Modell’d, a vast, 500-page treatise first published in 1715. His work reflects the intellectual ambition of the early 18th century, offering a deep dive into trigonometry, logarithmic computation, and astronomy in the service of improving maritime navigation. Wilson’s methods for computing longitude at sea, while never widely adopted, reflect the pressing scientific challenges of the age. He continued to promote his work publicly through advertisements as late as 1723, suggesting a desire to reform navigational instruction on a broad scale.
By the time of this 1767 Dublin edition, Wilson had already passed away, but his work lived on—republished posthumously and paired with Atkinson’s practical epitome. Together, these texts comprise a comprehensive navigational system: Atkinson’s grounded, experience-based approach balanced by Wilson’s mathematical and theoretical depth.
Other References:
Bodleian Library, University of Oxford. A Compleat System of Navigation in Two Parts by James Atkinson. ESTC No. T134706. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://estc.bl.uk/T134706.
Bodleian Digital Library, University of Oxford. A Compleat System of Navigation. Digitized copy. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/ffb2ba92-fc45-4e45-b113-529729df63a5/.
James Atkinson and His Epitome,” Notes and Queries, 3rd Series, Vol. 5, no. 138 (1864): 138. ( About the contributors)
Elen Phillips, “Volvelles: Early Paper Calculators,” National Museum Wales, November 12, 2015, https://museum.wales/blog/2044/Volvelles-early-paper-calculators/.
Phillips-Rodriguez, Erik Kwakkel. “Parchment.” Medieval Books. Accessed June 26, 2025. https://medievalbooks.nl/tag/parchment/.