Cartographica Neerlandica Background for Ortelius Map No. 157

Title: PRVSSIÆ | VERA DESCRIPTIO. | "Per Gaspar. Henneberg. Erlichens". [A true depiction of Prussia by Gaspar Henneberg of Erlich]. (Cartouche upper right corner with 16 lines of text and symbols, mostly in two columns). (Left centre:) "Flante Zephyro hic | multum Succini col|ligitur". [When the west wind blows, much amber is collected here]. (Mid centre:) "Borea flante, hic Succinum | colligitur". [When the north wind blows here, much amber is collected here].

Plate size: 367 x 468 mm
Scale: 1 : 900,000
Identification number: Ort 157 (Koeman/Meurer: 141, not in Karrow, vdKrogtAN: 1720:31C).

Occurrence in Theatrum editions and page number:

1595L99 (500 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: timè,meo iudicio,Andreas Aurifaber Vratislauiensis;peculiari opisculo;Latinè & Germanicè),
1598F100 (525 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: particulier en Latin & en Alleman,&surpasse tous les autres.),
1598/1610/1613D69 (100 copies printed) (last line, centred like 3 lines above it, in Gothic script like the entire text: ende Duytsch.),
1601L99 (200 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: mè,meo iudicio,Andreas Aurifaber Vratislauiensis;peculiari opusculo;Latinè & Germanicè.),
1602G102 (250 copies printed) (last line, left aligned, in Gothic script like the entire text: in einem besonderen Büchlein/Lateinisch und Deutsch.),
1602S102 (250 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: que todos Andres Aurifabro, Vratislauiense,en vn opusulo particular en Latin y en Aleman.),
1603L102 (300 copies printed) (text, but not page number and typesetting identical to 1609/1612L; last line, left aligned: meo iudicio,Andreas Aurifaber Vratislauiensis;peculiari opusculo; Latinè & Germanicè.),
1606E99 (300 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: tine and Dutch.),
1608/1612I111 (300 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: tato: ma en tutti meglio al parer mio Andrea Aurifaber d'Vratislauia in proprio trattato Latino & Tedesco.),
1609/1612L112 (300 copies printed) (text, but not typesetting and page number, identical to 1603L; last line, left aligned: mè,meo iudicio,Andreas Aurifaber Vratislauiensis;peculiari opusculo; Latinè & Germanicè.),
1609/1612/1641S112 (325 copies printed) (last line, left aligned: Andres Aurifabro, Vratislauiense, en vn opusculo particular en Latin y en Aleman.).

Approximate number of copies printed: 3050.

States: 157.1 as above.
157.2: in 1641S, city and river Leba added at left border.

Cartographic sources: Caspar Henneberger (1529-1600) who made a large woodcut Prussia map which was published in 1576 (Meurer p. 164-165).

Remarks: Replaces in 1595 plate Ort 156, which has a ship below the cartouche at the right, whereas this plate has a ship below the cartouche at the left. Also, the late plate's title stops at "Erlichens". Although this map looks very similar to its predecessor, Ort156, there are many differences concerning the topographical names.

Text

Bibliographical sources

Topographical names