Catalog Archive
Auction 129, Lot 782

"Sumatra ein grosse Insel so von den alten Geographen Taprobana ist genennt worden", Munster, Sebastian

Subject: Sri Lanka

Period: 1570 (circa)

Publication: Cosmographiae…

Color: Black & White

Size:
13.5 x 10 inches
34.3 x 25.4 cm
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This is a great woodblock map of the island of Taprobana, which was variously thought to be Ceylon (Sri Lanka) or Sumatra until late in the sixteenth century. This map depicts Ceylon with the typical misconceptions of Ptolemy showing a small part of India incorrectly in the northeast corner of the map. A most interesting feature of the map is the large engraving of an elephant beneath a tree that was copied from Gastaldi with descriptive text in a cartouche below. The elephant is shown with large padded feet and a scoop on the end of its trunk.

References:

Condition: B+

Nice impression with a few stains in the margins and map border. There is a small binding hole in top margin, not affecting the map.

Estimate: $300 - $350

Unsold

Closed on 9/23/2009

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