Hereditas Antikvárium

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9. Könyvárverés

Rome, 1558.
Scarce copperplate map of the British Isles, the prototype of which was created in 1546 by George Lily. The coastline of England and Wales was based on Münster’s map (1540), but this was the first to show an accurate shape of the Scottish coasts (probably based on the maps of John Eldon and Hector Boece). The sheet is oriented east-to-the-west, and its topography and nomenclature are much more detailed than any previous cartographic work. In stark contrast to the precisely crafted parts is the simple presentation of Ireland. Cities, archbishopric and episcopal centres can be easily identified based on the designation system used. The importance of Lily’s map is indicated by the fact that it was used as a basis by many famous cartographers over time. The first copperplate version in a slightly smaller format was published in Rome in 1556 (the engraver is unknown, it is identified by the Jesuit symbol „IHS” in the right corner), which was soon followed by the version engraved by Sebastiano de Re, of which our lot is also a copy. There are three cartouches in the map field, one of which frames the title field, and the other two contain Latin descriptions of Britannia and Ireland. The work is illustrated by several galleys, and a bar scale is placed in the lower part.
Dimensions: 410 x 555 (485 x 640) mm.
Fine, clear copy. With existing export licence.
Bifolco – Ronca: Tav 261 (state 1)., Shirley - Early Printed Maps of the British Isles, 1477-1650: 63, Imago Mundi III (Tooley, R.V. – Maps in Italian Atlases of the Sixteenth Century): 271.