II . TALBOT I ART I I 129 West San Francisco Street • P. O. Box 2757, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504 505-982-1559 • [email protected] • www.williamtalbotfineart.com WINTER 2021 Sebastian Münster (1448-1552). “Novae Insulae XXVI Nova Tabula,” (Basel, Henri Petri: 1552 [1540]). Latin Edition. Published in Cosmographia. Woodcut with hand color, 11 x 14 5/8" to neat line. Sheet size: 11 15/16 x 15 1/8". Title block on verso begins with “Novarum Insu”. Strong impression; small splits and age toning in upper margin. Overall very good condition for this rare map.$9,000. The Earliest Map to Name the Pacific Ocean and to SHOW all of NORTH and SOUTH AMERICA in a CONTINENTAL FORM One of the most important and influential maps of the 16th century, Sebastian Münster’s New World is the first separately printed map delineating North and South America in true continental form and probably the first map to refer to the ocean that Magellan christened the “Mare Pacificum”. In fact, Münster beautifully illustrates his ship, the Victoria, plying the waters off the western coast of South America. Other historically notable features include the first depiction of Japan, denoted as “Zipangri”, which is based entirely on the accounts of Marco Polo and other early explorers. Most dramatically, North America is dominated by a large northern sea that is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a narrow isthmus. The so-called “Sea of Verrazano” came into being when the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano mistook the waters to the west of the barrier islands along the North Carolina coast for the “Oriental Sea,” which was thought to provide passage to Cathay and the Spice Islands. Münster intertwined the factual geographical information of the time along with popular folklore and myth. This mythological influence is known to have been extracted in part from the writings of Solinus, which is made apparent in the denotation of the region of the giants (Regio Gigantum) in South America along with an arcane illustration depicting the presence of cannibals (Canibali) in the eastern portion of the continent. The first edition of this map appeared in Münster’s atlas Geographia of 1540 and then in his influential atlas Cosmographia, published in 1544, which “sealed the fate of ‘America’ as the name for the new world” as stated by Burden. The rare artifact offered here is an outstanding example of Münster’s highly significant early map of the Americas. Illuminating all of North and South America in true continental form, this map would be a pivotal addition to any collection focused on the Western Hemisphere. 1 FIRST DOUBLE-HEMISPHERE WORLD MAP to appear in a printed atlas This beautiful map was published in Girolamo Ruscelli’s newly expanded and revised edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia. Ruscelli considerably improved the form of his world map by showing both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres on the same page with their latitudes evenly aligned in a homolographic meridian projection, making this a prototype depiction of the world. Compared to other maps of the time, the “Orbis Descriptio” represents a surprisingly accurate yet simple view of the ‘modern’ world. No southern continent appears, and Ruscelli has judiciously named the mass of land joining Asia and America “Terra Incognita” and its coastline “Litmus Incognitum”. Notable placenames appear on both poles, “Circulus Arcticus” and “Circulus Antarcticus”, along with the notation of the Arctic Ocean, “Mare Glaciale”. The landmass located within the Arctic Circle is labeled “Hyperborei” after the race of mythical giants who inhabited the region and were known to live “beyond the North Wind”. “Orbis Descriptio” is a small masterpiece of graphic design as well as an influential work of cartography. Girolamo Ruscelli (1500–66). “Orbis Descriptio,” (Venice: 1561/64). First state, early edition, Italian text. Published in La Geografia. Copperplate engraving, This example appeared in numerous editions of La black and white as issued. Description on verso: “Tavola Universal Nuova, con la Geografia through to 1599. A first edition with Italian Descrittione di Tutto il Mondo.” Running plate mark: 8 x 10 1/2". Sheet: 9 1/4 x 12 text was issued in 1561. A first edition in Latin was 5/8". Full margins. Some show through of verso text; Minor ink residue along top issued in 1562. Second editions of both the Italian and and top right margin. Excellent condition for this rare map. $3,000. Latin versions were issued in 1564, and are very rare. Visscher’s Important Map of the Holy Land PORTRAYING THE GARDEN OF EDEN The intriguing map of the Holy Land offered here is an excellent example of Nicolaes Visscher’s signature, a combination of up-to-the-minute geographical fact and carefully wrought Baroque aesthetics. This splendid artifact is titled roughly “Paradise, or the Garden of Eden…” and covers the region between the Mediterranean and the Persian Gulf. Located prominently near the city of Babel (Babylon) is the “Garden of Eden”. This map was drawn by Visscher and was included in a five part map series for publication in Abraham van den Broeck’s 1657 Dutch Staten Bible. The map combines actual and Biblical geography in a magnificent manner, featuring the “Land of Nod”, the “Garden of Eden”, and the mystifying “Tower of Babel”. The beautiful strapwork title along the top of the map is flanked on either side by wonderfully illustrated scenes from Eden. In the lower left quadrant, an elderly fisherman, Nicolaes Visscher (1618-1679). “De Gelegentheyt van 't Paradys ende 't Land Canaan . one of Visscher’s marks, tops a decorative scale . ,” (Amsterdam: 1657). Double-page copperplate engraving with fine outline and full hand of miles. Two insets in the upper left and right color. Dutch text on verso. 12 15/32 x 18 19/32" at neat line. Sheet: 15 x 19 3/4". Minor corners of the map vividly portray the poignant staining at centerfold; slight creasing in top margin; small repair l.r. on verso. Overall, very story of Adam and Eve. good condition. $950. 2 Sanson’s Landmark Map of Insular California and the Southwest Nicholas Sanson’s Map of New Mexico and Florida is highly significant in the history of cartography as the first large-scale map in a printed atlas to depict the Spanish territories from Florida to California. Martin and Martin note that “it served as a prototype for the delineation of California as an island, and contributed a number of new place names in the New Mexico region. It has served as a summary of the best information available for the greater Texas region during the middle of the seventeenth century,” which, in essence, was very little. The island’s current form illustrates two distinguished bays along its northern coast. New placenames of unknown origin appear in the northern region of California as Talaago and R. de Estiete, in addition to an enigmatic peninsula protruding out of the mainland’s coast denoted as Agubela de Cato. Sanson also introduced new information on Indian tribes along the Rio Grande, here mistakenly shown as flowing southwest, and with Nicholas Sanson d’Abbeville (1600-1667). “Le Nouveau Mexique et La Floride: Santa Fe erroneously located west of the Rio del Tirees de diverses Cartes, et Relations” (Paris: Chez Pierre Mariette, 1656). First state Norte. The term “Floride Francois” is used for with the imprint Chez Pierre Mariette, Rue S. Iacque . 1656. Copperplate engraving. the first time to designate French possessions 12 3/8 x 21 3/8" at neat line. Sheet size: 17 1/2 x 23" with full margins. Minor toning in Georgia and South Carolina. An outstanding around neatline. Printers wrinkle left of centerfold. Fine laid paper with excellent example of this cornerstone document, the present watermark. Overall an excellent example with fine original outline color. $8,000. map is a strikingly noteworthy presentation of the American Southwest. Sanson’s Marvelous Map of Mexico showing an excellent display of the Yucatan and Central America Nicholas Sanson’s pleasing map of Mexico displays the full extent of the Spanish controlled region in great detail from the Gulf of Panama all the way north into what was considered Nuevo Mexico. The Gulf Coast is finely engraved showing inlets, river systems, and placenames. A portion of the West Indies is also depicted by the indication of Cuba and the Bahamas, which appear just off the southern tip of Florida. An early notation of Tampa Bay is illustrated on the western coast of Florida by the inscription Bahia de Tampa. Information regarding lakes, cities, and villages are included within Mexico. Wonderful topographical details are shown by the delicately drawn mountains that stretch across the region such as the Tepeczuan Montagnes, along with numerous volcanoes (Vulcan) including Monbache. This fine map of Mexico and Central America would make an exceptional pairing with the map listed above and would successfully create a comprehensive view of this historically rich region during the 17th century. Nicholas Sanson d’Abbeville (1600-1667). “Méxicque, ou Nouvelle Espagne,” (Paris, l’auteur et P. Mariette, 1656 [1675]). Published in Cartes Générales de la Géographie Ancienne et Nouvelle,.. Copperplate engraving with fine original outline color. Uncolored cartouche as issued. 14 1/2 x 21 1/2" at neatline. Sheet size: 17 1/4 x 22 3/4" with full margins. Some staining in l.l. and l.r. margin; Uneven l.l. margin; Very minor foxing in the Gulf of Mexico; Crease on verso, left; Pencil notation verso, right; Otherwise very good condition. $1,800. 3 Herman Moll’s Superb Map of Scotland complete with masterful inset illustrations Herman Moll’s wonderful map of Scotland is a great attempt to improve the complicated outline of the region and includes the delineation of large counties.