Acquired From: Leen Helmink
Colouring: Uncoloured
Condition: Excellent
Confirmed: 2/10/2024
Date Acquired: 25/10/2017
Dealers ID No.: 18665
Description: Martin Waldseemüllers edition of Claudius Ptolemys Geography was first published in 1513 by Johann Schott in Strasbourg. Waldseemüller, a German mapmaker and scholar, began his academic journey in 1490 at the University of Freiburg, where he studied under Gregor Reisch (View Record (#103)). After finishing his studies, Waldseemüller moved to the French town of Saint Dié in Lorraine, where he joined the Gymnasium Vosagense, a circle of humanist scholars established by René II, Duke of Lorraine.nAround 1505, Waldseemüller partnered with Matthias Ringmann to publish a new edition of Geography. After several delays, the edition was finally completed in 1513. This work featured twenty-seven Ptolemaic maps, alongside twenty modern maps that incorporated the most recent discoveries, labelled either "Nova" or "Moderna et Nova"nThe Ptolemaic maps, which formed the first part of the book, included a world map, ten maps of Europe, four of Africa, and twelve of Asia. The modern maps, presented in the second section titled Supplementum, included this modern map of Indian Ocean, India, Southeast Asia and contiguous regions.nWaldseemüller based this map on a manuscript world chart created by the Genoese mapmaker Nicolo Caveri around 1506, which is preserved today in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. A distinctive feature of Caveris chart is the unusual shape of the eastern peninsula (see detail of Nicolo Caveri’s manuscript world chart, c. 1506 (PDF not found: 63-Detail of Nicolo Caveri’s manuscript world chart, c. 1506.jpg)).nBy this time, Bartolomeu Dias had rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1487, and mapmakers were beginning to challenge Ptolemys belief that the Indian Ocean was enclosed. One such mapmaker was Henricus Martellus, who, around 1489, opened up the Indian Ocean by removing the southern landmass Ptolemy described as extending from the south of Africa to Asia. Martellus transformed the southern extension of Asia into a southeastward-pointing peninsula.nIn contrast to the rivers and mountain ranges Waldseemüller included on his Ptolemaic map of Asia (View Record (#61)), the interior this of this modern map is largely empty. Ptolemys islands in the Indian Ocean populated by cannibals, inhabitants with tails, and magnetically attractive lands that drew ships with iron nails have been removed. The Aurea Chersonese (Golden Peninsula) is also been omitted, and replaced by a huge unnamed peninsula extending into the Indian Ocean. A large island, labeled Taprobana, appears near its western coast. nWaldseemüller closely followed Caveris toponyms and adapted long inscriptions describing the commodities and resources found at four key trade centres:n Cambaia: Here is to be found lac, fine stuffs of all kinds and dried figs and grapes, and incense, and perfu Detail of Nicolo Caveris manuscript world chart, c. 1506 mes and amber and seed pearls which come from inland. n Calicut: in it there are many types of minerals and other kinds of merchandise which come from many parts: cinnamon, ginger, clove, sandalwood, and a bit of every spice: the region was discovered by the King of Portugal. n Morachim: Here cinnamon grows and many kinds of spices, and here they fish for pearls and seed-pearls, and the people of the island are idolaters and they trade with Calicut. n Taprobana: In this island, which is quite large, gold is found, and there are sapphires, ginger, and spices of every other kind. The inhabitants are devoted to idolatry, and trade with foreigners, taking merchandise abroad and bringing other things bck.
First published: Waldseemüller, Martin Geographiae opus nouissima traductione e Graecorum archetypis castigatissime pressum… Strasbourg: Johann Schott, 1513
Image Size (cm): 55×41
Mapmaker: Waldseemüller, Martin (1470-1520)
Other states: Second 1520 using the same woodblocks.
Price: 3,500
Primary Category: Asia
Purchase Reference: Ledger 2022. Email 26 Oct 2017
Rarity: R2 Very rare – one or two copies appear on the market
References: Karrow (1993), Martin WaldseemüllernSkelton, Geographia, Strasbourg, 1513
Sheet size (cm): 65.5×46
Technique: Woodcut
This state: 1513
Website: Click here
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