WORLD 

 World Maps 

BÃœNTING, Heinrich.
[From the re-cut woodblock of the Czech edition]
(Tabule) Oprawdorov Spusob Wsseho Ofrsltu Zeme V More. Daniel Adam Z Weleslavina, Prague, c.1592, Woodcut, Czech Edition, coloured, printed area 280 x 360mm. extensive restoration with MMS reinstatement to centrefold, lower margin rebuilt, usually a £ 1,500 + map
A crude representation of the Old World (but with the tip of South America bottom left corner). Although it is more conventional than Bunting's Cloverleaf world and Asia as Pegasus, the silhouette of Bünting's European Queen can be discerned, despite the title translating as "The true shape of the World and the Oceans". On the map are marked 'Meroë', the mythical tombs of the Nubian Kings, and the Kingdom of Prester John. There is also a landmass the rough shape of Australia, in roughly the right place: however it is named 'India Meridionalis'. from a rare Czech edition of his "Itinerarium Sacræ Scripturæ". The rarity of this map is further enhanced by the fact that the woodblock from which it was printed, was completely re-carved, so in many aspects it bears notable variations from the earlier (and more common) German editions, i.e in the style of text and rendition of topographical features and cities. SHIRLEY: World 143; NORWICH: 18.
[Ref: 10461]  

MERCATOR, Rumold.
[First Atlas Issue of Rumold Mercator's World Map]
Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio... Duysburg, 1595, FIRST EDITION. Coloured, with gold highlights. 280 x 515mm, with text under the map. A few repaired wormholes near centrefold.
Rumold Mercator's reduced version of his father's great modern world map, which first appeared in an edition of Strabo's Geography. This example comes from the 1595 edition of the Mercator atlas, the first time it was included in an atlas, with four columns of text under the map. It is a double-hemisphere map, within an ornate strapwork border, with California shown as part of the mainland, the distinctive bulge in South America and the kingdoms of Beach, Lucach and Maletur as part of the Terra Australis. SHIRLEY: World 157, "a model of clarity and neatness"; KOEMAN: ME 12, with list of states.
[Ref: 2544]  

MAGINI, Giovanni Antonio.
[16th century map of the world]
Universi Orbis Descriptio. Cologne, 1597. 140 x 1800mm. A good strong impression
An oval world map based on Ortelius, but with six wind heads instead of the strapwork borders, published in Magini's 'Geographicae Universae'. This example comes from the Cologne edition, a year after the Venetian edition, marked by the abbreviated 'icognita' in the top left. SHIRLEY: 193
[Ref: 13025]  

DE BRY, Theodore.
[Scarce De Bry's Version of the 'Drake Map']
[Untitled Double-Hemisphere World Map marking Drake's Circumnavigation.] Frankfurt-am-Main, 1599. 115 x 225mm. Trimmed and laid on album paper, a few small repairs.
A world map published as the frontispiece of Volume Eight of De Bry's 'Major Voyages', which contained the account of Drake's voyage around the world. Thus this map is devoted to him, with his route marked on the map, his portrait in the upper cusp and a representation of the 'Golden Hind' in the lower cusp. The map is a reduction of Jodocus Hondius' broadsheet map of c.1595, of which there are seven or eight known copies. SHIRLEY: 219, the 'largest & finest' of De Bry's world maps.
[Ref: 7845]  

SANUDO, Marino?
[An unusual chart of the world based on a portolan original]
[Untitled circular world chart.] Hanover, Christian Wechelius, 1611. 350 x 345mm.
Published in the 'Gesta Dei pro Francos...', this is a rare example of a printed world map based on a portolan, believed to be either by Marino Sanudo (c,1260-1338) or by Pietro Vesconte (fl. 1310-30). The pair collaborated on Sanudo's 'Liber Secretorum Fidelibus de Crucis' c.1320. The world is arranged in a circle with Jerusalem in the centre, with distorted, anglular representations of Europe, Asia and Africa. SHIRLEY: 276.
[Ref: 11169]  

BÃœNTING, Heinrich.
[Cloverleaf World]
Tabule Wsseho Ofrsslku Zemskeho W Spusobu Listu Detelowelo. Daniel Adam Z Weleslavina, Prague, c.1592, Woodcut, original colour, Czech Edition, 255 x 365mm.
Bünting's famous cloverleaf World map from a Czech edition of his "Itinerarium Sacræ Scripturæ". The World with Jerusalem at its centre, Bünting used a cloverleaf composition since this was the device on the coat of arms of his hometown Hanover. America is depicted at the lower left. Shirley World 142
[Ref: 7365]  

SPEED, John.
[A fine impression of Speed's famous world map]
A New and Accurat Map of the World Drawne according to ye truest Descriptions, latest Discoveries & best obervations y.t have beene made by English or Strangers. 1626. London, George Humble, c.1627. Coloured. 395 x 515mm.
A justly famous map, from Speed's 'Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World', the first English atlas of the world. It is the first atlas map to show California as an island. Probably engraved by Abraham Goos (who signed most of the other maps) it also shows Korea as an island and depicts 'Beach', the mythical kingdom located on 'The Southerne Unknowne Land'. Around the rims of the double-hemispheres is an abundance of decoration, including celestial spheres in the cusps, allegorical figures of the Four Elements, portraits of circumnavigators and diagrams of eclipses. On verso is an interesting English-text 'Description of the World'. Although this a desirable factor today, only being published in the English language limited the overseas sales potential, enhancing the rarity value. This example comes from the first published state: later states are dated 1651, 1662 & 1676. A classic collector's map. SHIRLEY: World, 317.
[Ref: 4672]  

HONDIUS, Henricus.
[Rare English-text Issue]
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica Ac Hydrographica Tabula. Auct Henr. Hondio. Amsterdam, Hondius & Jan Jansson, 1636, English text edition. Coloured. 380 x 540mm. Minor repairs to centrefold and split in platemark.
First issued in 1630, this was one of the first world maps to appear in an atlas showing California as an island, and, according to Schilder, is 'the oldest dated map in an atlas on which a Dutch discovery in Australia has been shown'. The Cape York Peninsula is shown with eight names. The decoration on the map is superb: three strapwork cartouches appear on the map; portraits of Julius Cæsar, Ptolemy, Mercator and Jodocus Hondius fill the corners; scenes representing the four Elements are above and below each hemisphere; in the upper cusp is a celestial globe; and in the lower cusp are allegorical figures representing Asia, America and Africa making obeisance to Europe. This example is from the First State (before Jansson added his own name in 1641), and has an English text on verso, titled "A Portraiture of the Universall Earth". Only three English editions of the Mercator Atlas were ever published, in two volumes, 1636, 1638 & 1641, pre-dating the issue of the English county maps. The text was translated from the Dutch by Henry Hexham, "Quarter-maister to the Regiment of Colonell Goring" (later a Royalist commander in the Civil War) and dedicated to Charles I. These editions were not a financial success, so it is likely that the contents of the atlases were from the same printing, with altered title pages, attempting to clear unsold stock. Even Volume Four, the British Isles, was never published in English. KOEMAN: Me 41a; SCHILDER: Australia Unveiled, 39; SHIRLEY: 336, 'a fine ornate example of the decorative cartography of the time'.
[Ref: 2280]  

BLAEU, Willem Janszoon.
[Blaeu's Classic World Map]
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula. Amsterdam, c.1640. Coloured. 410 x 540mm.
Shirley describes this world map as a 'classic single-sheet world map on Mercator's projection... celebrated as one of the supreme examples of the map maker's art'. It set the standard for vignette borders, with allegorical figures representing the sun, moon & known planets along the top, the Four Elements on the left, the Four Seasons on the right, and depictions of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World along the bottom. There are decorative cartouches for the title, dedication and explanation, two spheres for the north and south poles, compass roses and numerous galleons and sea monsters. Engraved by Josua van den Ende and originally issued separately in 1606 (under Blaeu's original name of Janszoon), this example comes from the fourth state, which dates from its use in Blaeu's atlases from 1630. Being separate issues the earlier states are increasingly difficult to find. SHIRLEY: World 255.
[Ref: 7328]  

HONDIUS, Henricus.
["A fine ornate example of the decorative cartography of the time"]
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica Ac Hydrographica Tabula. Auct Henr. Hondio. Amsterdam, Jan Jansson, 1641-, Latin text edition. Coloured. 380 x 540mm. Lower centerfold repared with no loss. Otherwise a fine example with good margins.
First issued in 1630, this was one of the first world maps to appear in an atlas showing California as an island, and, according to Schiller, is 'the oldest dated map in an atlas on which a Dutch discovery in Australia has been shown'. The Cape York Peninsula is shown with eight names. The decoration on the map is superb: three strapwork cartouches appear on the map; portraits of Julius Cæsar, Ptolemy, Mercator and Jodocus Hondius fill the corners; scenes representing the four Elements are above and below each hemisphere ; in the upper cusp is a celestial globe; and in the lower cusp are allegorical figures representing Asia, America and Africa making obeisance to Europe. KOEMAN: 51A; SCHILDER: Australia Unveiled, 39; SHIRLEY: 336, 'a fine ornate example of the decorative cartography of the time'.
[Ref: 10522]