Title: Theatrum oder Schawbüch des Erdtkreys, 1580 bound together with the Third German Additamentum 1584, the atlas dated as 1588 on the spine (93 + 24 = 117 maps).
The volume is bound in original calf leather in reasonable shape and the year of composition has been stamped on its renewed spine (the original spine, which was not in a shape to allow for restoration is still extant). It is well preserved and in very good condition and complete, containing all maps called for. The atlas opens widely so that each map can be viewed in its entire shape. All maps are in old, original coloring, authentic and restrained of nature. There is some mirroring of this coloring on most maps. For a book of more than 400 years old, it is in such a good condition as to be unusual. It has a very distinctive and authentic appeal.
It contents are unique and it is clear that this atlas was made to order in 1588 as has been indicated on the spine .
It contains the maps of the 1580 German edition, augmented by the third German Additamentum of 1584 . It is not very probable that another Ortelius atlas with this particular composition exists.
Among its 117 map sheets, it contains some maps which are very rare since they were only included in very few editions of the Theatrum. Some are worth mentioning specifically, such as
- The second plate of the Americas map (Ort10), the rarest of the three that have been made.
- The first atlas map of Florida had its first appearance in this 3rd Additamentum.
- The rare plate Ort29 of Valentia.
- The separate Parergon maps of North and South Egypt (Ort219-220).
- The separate Parergon maps of North and South Great Britain (Ort190-191).
- The very rare first state of the China map.
Price: Euro 85000
Contents:
Cover of Moroccan calf leather, embossed with golden stamps.
Blank protective leaf (modern)
Title page: Theatrum oder Schawbüch des Erdtkreys (ink spot at top edge)
Quote Cicero (ink spot at top edge)
Dedication to King Philip of Spain (ink spot at top edge)
Adolph Mekerchi’s allegorical explanation of title page in Latin, with to the right a translation into German (3 pages) (ink spots at top edges)
Address to the Reader dated Antwerp, 1580 (4 pages) (3 pages with ink spot at top edge)
Epigram by Daniel Rogers in Latin with German translation.
Ortelius’portrait, engraved by Galle. After that the maps with state specified for each map:
(1) Ort1.3 World map, coastline of South America still bulging
(2) Ort4.3 Europa
(3) Ort7.1 Asia
(4) Ort8.2 Africa
(5) Ort10.1 America
(6) Ort13.1 Hispania Nova
(7) Ort14a.1.b.1 Culicania-Hispaniola
(8) Ort16.2 Anglia, Scotia et Hibernia (some spurious green color in upper left)
(9) Ort18.1 Scotia
(10) Ort19.1 Anglia
(11) Ort21.1 Cambria
(12) Ort22.2 Hibernia
(13) Ort25.2 Hispania
(14) Ort26.2 Portugallia
(15) Ort28.1 Hispalensis Conventus
(16) Ort34.1 Galliae Regnum
(17) Ort38.1 Poictou
(18) Ort39ab.1 Biturigum-Limania
(19) Ort40.1 Anjou
(20) Ort44a.1.b.1 Caletensium-Veromandui
(21) Ort46.1 Picardia
(22) Ort48a.1.b.1 Gallia Narbonensis-Sabaudia
(23) Ort51.1 Burgundiae Comitatus
(24) Ort56.1 Germania (damage at top centerfold)
(25) Ort58.1 Germania Inferior
(26) Ort60.1 Lutzenburgensus
(27) Ort61.2 Gelria
(28) Ort65.2 Brabantia
(29) Ort68.1 Namurcum (small tear backed with archival tape)
(30) Ort70.1 Hannonia
(31) Ort72.1 Artois
(32) Ort76.1 Flandria
(33) Ort78.6 Zelandia
(34) Ort79.1 Hollandia (some browning along left margin)
(35) Ort80.1 Utriusque Frisii (some browning in bottom margin)
(36) Ort81.1 Frisia Occidentalis
(37) Ort82.1 Frisia Orientalis
(38) Ort84.1 Dania
(39) Ort88a.1.b.1 Thietmarsia-Prussia
(40) Ort91.1 Westphalia
(41) Ort93ab.1 Saxonia, Misnia, Thuringia
(42) Ort94.1 Mansfeldia
(43) Ort92ab.1 Hassia-Holsatia
(44) Ort96ab.1 Turingia-Misnia et Lusatia
(45) Ort98ab.1 Buchavia-Waldec (text page strengthened with rice paper; damage on edge of Ort98a)
(46) Ort100a1.b2 Francia-Monasteriensis
(47) Ort101.1 Bohemia
(48) Ort102.2 Silesia
(49) Ort104.1 Moravia (tiny hole in margin lower right corner)
(50) Ort105.2 Austria
(51) Ort107.1 Salisburg
(52) Ort110.1 Bavaria
(53) Ort111ab.1 Palatinus Bavariae-Argentoratensis
(54) Ort113.1 Wirtenberg
(55) Ort114a.1.b.1 Basiliensis-Svevia
(56) Ort115.1 Helvetia
(57) Ort116a.1.b.1 Rhetia-Goritia
(58) Ort117.2 Italia
(59) Ort119.1 Forum Iulium
(60) Ort120.1 Verona (minor damage at centerfold)
(61) Ort125.3 Ducatus Mediolanensis
(62) Ort127.1 Agri Cremonensis
(63) Ort128.1 Pedemontana
(64) Ort121a.1.b.1 Patavinus-Apulia
(65) Ort129abc.2 Larii Lacus-Terretorium Romani-Forum Iulium
(66) Ort130.2 Thuscia
(67) Ort137abc.1 Senensis-Corsica-Marcha Anconae
(68) Ort139.2 Regnum Neapolitani
(69) Ort141a-f.1 Insularum Aliquot
(70) Ort148a.2.b.1 Cyprus-Creta
(71) Ort149.2 Cyprus
(72) Ort146.2 Graecia
(73) Ort144.1 Illyricum
(74) Ort145.2 Schlavonia
(75) Ort143a-c.1 Carinthia-Histria-Zara
(76) Ort150.4 Hungaria
(77) Ort151.1 Ungaria
(78) Ort153.1 Transilvania
(79) Ort154.2 Polonia
(80) Ort158abc.1 Pomerania-Livonia-Ducatus Oswieczensis
(81) Ort160.3 Septentrionalium
(82) Ort162.4 Russia
(83) Ort163.2 Tartaria (orange spot in bottom margin)
(84) Ort166.2 India Orientalis (orange spot in bottom margin)
(85) Ort167.1 Persicus
(86) Ort169.1 Turcicus
(87) Ort171.1 Palestina
(88) Ort174a-c.1 Natolia-Aegyptus-Carthago
(89) Ort175.1 Presbiterium Iohannis
(90) Ort176.1 Barbaria
(91) Ort181.1 Peregrinatio Divi Pauli
(92) Ort187.1 Romani Imperium (upper left corner missing)
(93) Ort215.1 Graecia Sophiani
Farewell to the reader
Register (2 pages)
Colophon, Antwerp 1580
Title page third German additamentum, dated 1584
(94) page number 2, top right, Ort219.1 Aegyptus Antiqua (North)
(95) page number 3, Ort220.1 Aegyptus Antiqua (South)
(96) page number 4, Ort63.1 Leodiensus
(97) page number 5, Ort156.1 Prussia
(98) page number 6, Ort89a.1.b.1 Thietmarsia-Rugia
(99) page number 7, Ort29.1 Valentia
(100) page number 8, Ort15a-c.1 Peruvia-Florida-Guastecan (faint line in bottom margin)
(101) page number 9, Ort159.1 Romania
(102) page number 10, Ort49 Gallia Narbonensis-Sabaudia-Venuxinus
(103) page number 11, Ort207 Tuscia Antiqua (small hole at bottom cartouche)
(104) page number 12, Ort112ab.1 Palatinus Bavariae-Argentoratensis
(105) page number 13, Ort211.1 Siciliae Veteris Typus
(106) page number 14, Ort147a-k.1 Archipelagum Insularum (Candia plus 10 islands)
(107) page number 15, Ort173.1 Terra Sancta
(108) page number 16, Ort197.1 Belgii Veteris Typus
(109) page number 17, Ort136.1 Perusinus
(110) page number 18, Ort54.1 Burgundia Inferioris
(111) page number 19, Ort31a-c.1 Carpetanus-Guipuscoa-Cadiz (tiny tears in bottom corners)
(112) page number 20, Ort24.1 Acores
(113) page number 21, Ort216a-j.1 Insular. Aliquot Aegaei Maris Antiqua Descript. (Cyprus plus 9 islands)
(Small split at bottom centerfold)
(114) page number 22, Ort204.1 Italia Vetus Specimen (tear backed)
(115) page number 23, Ort85ab.1 Dania-Oldenburg (tear backed)
(116) page number 24, Ort217a-d.1 Corsica-Maris Ionii-Sardinia-Creta
(117) page number 25, Ort164.1 China (crease)
Two protective modern sheets of blank paper.