1 in stock
Six folio leaves (pages 15 to 24) from Munsterâ€™s Cosmographia with 9 woodcuts, French Text .
The handsome woodcuts include: One large plate of two men holding a scientific map of the earth, bottom quarter 1/4-page is missing on pages 17 &18 woodcut of an astronomer holding an instrument and looking at the stars, and 7 woodcut diagrams. Size of the leaves: Approximately 30,5 x 19,5 cm or 12 x 7 2/3 inches
Condition: Leaves soiled and with some stains, two leaves have small reinforced edge, one leaf damaged with bottom quarter 1/4-page is missing on pages 17 & 18 loss of text, some marginal tears. Woodcuts in good condition. Overall good condition for its age.
Sebastian Munster (1488-1552), a German scholar, geographer and cartographer was along with Mercator and Ortelius the leading cartographer of his time. Munsterâ€™s Cosmographia was an epic 16th century encyclopedic work of the known world, and one of the most popular treatises during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (the work went trough 46 editions in six languages by mid 1600â€™s). Munsterâ€™s work contained not only the latest maps and views of many cities, but also detailed information about the known world. The blowup picture shows the beautiful ornamental title page shows the portraits of 15 European kings, of 16 Italian (Roman) popes and monarchs, and 4 other monarchs. Bellow the portraits is depicted a scene showing the â€œcivilizedâ€ world in the north, and in the south the newly found land (probably Africa). A very rare example of early globe navigation. As one of the pages has a piece missing I will send an 3 extra pages of digital images of print quality, entitled La Cosmographie as a bonus. If you wish to purchase this original 12 page set, go to Munsters Mining 9+3, W1319 sm10. This item is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and as described. Was Â£120.00 now a bargain for such an early original print.