Imaginary view of Paris and on verso Munich : however the earliest obtainable views of this period.In the forground a large vessel, who was the symbol of the powerful corporate body of the Marchands de l'eau, and is dating back to the Middle Ages. The city motto, "Fluctuat nec mergitur" ("It is beaten by the waves without being submerged") is equally a reference to this vessel. The first mention of coat of arms of Paris with the vessel appears as early as 1190 when Philippe Augustus gave the des...

RECTO: A panoramic view of the city of Groningen dated 1573.VERSO: a woodcut of a cow, a bull and their calf.Taken from Sebastian Munster's encyclopedic work, the "Cosmographia Universalis". The Cosmographia by Sebastian Münster had numerous editions in different languages including Latin, French (translated by François de Belleforest), Italian, English, and even Czech. The last German edition was published in 1628, long after his death. The Cosmographia was one of the most successful and popu...

Panoramic view of Montpellier by Sebastian Münster. Below the engraving a letterpress key. From the German edition of Sebastian Munster's Cosmography, "Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder".

Text page with woodblock map of ancient France (122 x 163 mm.) In 1575 Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia was translated into French and published in Paris by François de Belle-Forest.

Fine wood cut bird's-eye view of Marseille. Decorated with several ship in the harbour and on the sea. To the left two keys describing the main buildings and places. Published in "La Cosmographie Universelle de tout le monde", printed in 1575 in Paris by Nicolas Chesneau and Michel Sonnius with the French text by Francois de Belleforest.The book is a French version of Sebastian Münster's "Cosmographia Universalis".

This is the second copperplate of Ortelius'.

DUTCH TEXT EDITION. A detailed chart of the coast of Flanders and Normandy decorated by a large colorful baroque title cartouche, and the coat of arms of Flanders with a colorful scale cartouche decorated with a compass, a compass rose, several vessels and sea monsters. From an early Dutch text edition of this landmark contribution to the science of navigation. Waghenaer's own personal experiences as a pilot along European coasts were used to compile the Spiegel der Zeevaerdt, the first edition ...

A detailed chart of the English Channel coastland. Decorated by a colorful title cartouche and scale cartouche, one compass rose, several vessels and sea monsters. A very early edition rare Dutch text edition of this landmark contribution to the science of navigation. Waghenaer's own personal experiences as a pilot along European coasts were used to compile the Spiegel der Zeevaerdt, the first edition of which was published in Dutch at Leyden in 1584/85 by the House of Plantin. Although advertis...

A rare Dutch text edition of this detailed early chart of the northern coast of England. West to the top. The mileage cartouche has no Latin captures. Decorated by a colorful title cartouche and scale cartouche, one compass rose, and several vessels. An early Dutch text edition of this landmark contribution to the science of navigation. Waghenaer's own experiences as a pilot along European coasts were used to compile the Spiegel der Zeevaerdt, the first edition of which was published in Dutch at...

A detailed chart of the coast of Denmark and its islands, Copenhagen in the center of the chart. West to the top. It is decorated by a title, scale and descriptive cartouche, a compass rose, several vessels and sea monsters, and depictions of mountains, fields, trees, small villages and animals.The chart shows soundings, sandbanks, landmarks and coastal profiles.Chart from an early Dutch text edition of this landmark contribution to the science of navigation. Waghenaer's own experiences as a pil...

AFRICAE PROPRIAE TABULA In qua, Punica regna vides; Tyrios, et Agenoris / urbem. Antique map of North Africa with Carthage. A very decorative map of North Africa with an inset with the town of Carthage. From the rare Spanish edition of Abraham Ortelius’ ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’, published by Vrientius. Abraham Ortelius(1527-98), Dutch cartographer and publisher of the first modern atlas, ' Theatrum Orbis Terrarum' in 1570. Editions till 1612. Also an atlas of ancient cartography, the '...

Eye-bird view of Valenciennes.

Title page of the book Habiti delle Donne Venetiane" (Dress of Venetian Women) which consists of twenty numbered plates of ornately dressed women. This very decorative title page shows in to Rialto Bridge and in the center a bird's-eye plan of Venice.Giacomo Franco (1556-1620) was born and grew in Venice, where he used to work. He was the son of painter Giovanni-Battista Franco (1510-1561), with whom he began his artistic training at the age of eleven. He worked as a painter, engraver, woodcutte...

Allegorical scene allegorical image celebrating the circumnavigation of the earth by Ferdinand Magellan. The image shows Magellan on board of his ship, surrounded by mythological figures including Apollo with sun and lyre, Zeus on his throne of clouds, Adam and Eve. A bird carrying an elephant and a depiction of the Tierra del Fuego.The image also includes cannon, banner with the double-headed Hapsburg eagle, anchor, broken mast, navigational instruments such as armillary sphere and dividers, se...

Columbus is standing in the bow of his ship, which is near the shore. He is clad in a long mantle and undercoat, while his armor lies at his feet, and his standard is floating from the foremast. Behind him is Minerva, carrying a spear and a shield with the head of Medusa in the center, presenting a laurel branch to Columbus.Behind the goddess is Mars in full armor, standing on the back of a turtle for a chariot, and drawn by three lions. Near him, are two Sirens, whilst at the head of the vessel...

This map shows Holland in great detail, including small towns, walled cities, rivers and lakes (many of which were reclaimed in the 17th century, and no longer exist). A coat of arms is in the upper left corner of the map image. In the ocean, there are many sailing ships and smaller fishing boats. An intricate compass rose is in the upper middle area. A very decorative map of the Dutch provinces of Friesland, Groningen and Drente and of the German Province of Friesland.

Lantor is a kind of coconut palm (or Indian nut) with fronds as long as a human body. These fronds are used as paper. Pimenta del Rabo (or cubebe) grows grape-like on trees and is held in such esteem by the Indians that they cook and preserve them, rather than sell them to other countries. Also shown is the Tamarind tree or Assa, the plant Talasse grows in Java, and the Mangostan fruit and the black pepper is called ‘Sahang’ in Java.Theodore de Bry, a German engraver and book dealer, began a...

Very rare view of Venice published in the first edition of "Viaggio da Venetia, a Costantinopoli. Per Mare, e per Terra, & infieme quello di Terra Santa. Da Gioseppe Rosaccio con brevita descritto".Several of the maps and plans resemble those in G. F. Camocio's "Isole famose", in particular the maps of the individual Greek islands, among which are Corfu, Crete, Cyprus, together with a map of Palestine and a view of Jerusalem.It is possible that many of the plates may originate from 1590-1597, wh...

Whale and whaling scene, set against a mountainous landscape in the manner of Pieter Brueghel the Elder. Plate number 1. The engraving is copied after Adrian Collaert plate in "Piscium Vivæ Icones" a series first published in Antwerp by Adriaen Collaert after 1598, later published between 1627 and 1677 by Galle family. Several copies were made of this series.Most of the ships in the background were copied from a series of ten prints known as the Sailing Vessels, executed by Frans Huys after des...