Clive A. Burden LTD. Rare Maps, Antique Atlases, Books and Decorative Prints

The Mapping of North America

Mr. Philip D. Burden​
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com

The earliest affordable printed map of America in SUPERB EARLY WASH COLOUR. ‘In 1522 Laurent Fries published an edition of Ptolemy’s ‘Geography’ in which virtually all of the maps, including this one, were reduced versions of Waldseemüller’s, 1513. Some of the more notable differences are the Columbus name PARIAS found in North America, misplaced from South America, the addition of a Spanish flag over Cuba, and a scene in South America depicting cannibals and an opossum both of which had been reported by Vespucci. The last map is taken directly from Martin Waldseemüller’s great twelve sheet ‘Carta Marina’ of the world, 1516. Here also the ‘TERRA INCOGNITA’ has been replaced by ‘TERRA NOVA’, and the reference to America’s discovery by Columbus is repeated. A large area of text below Hispaniola contains a description of that island’s location, its discovery by Columbus, and its products. The title appears in a scroll across the top of the map, and is not present in any of the following editions. The latitude markings are now corrected and more legible’ (Burden). This is an example of the second edition published in 1525. Provenance: Sotheby’s London 2 December 1999 lot 195. Burden (1996) no. 4; László Gróf (1982); Harrisse (1892) p. 515; Karrow (1993) pp. 191-204 (on Fries, the atlas pp. 193-9); Nordenskiöld (1889) p. 20; Pastoureau (1984) p. 371 & pp. 375-85; Sabin (1868) no. 66481; Suárez (1992) p. 62 (about the placing of ‘Parias’).
WALDSEEMULLER, Martin – FRIES, Laurent

Tabula terræ novæ

Strasbourg, 1522-[25]
290 x 380 mm., in FULL EARLY WASH COLOUR, in good condition.
Stock number: 8220
$ 18,500
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