Catalog Archive
Auction 162, Lot 649

Bunting's Rare Map of Asia in the Form of a Pegasus

"Asia Secunda pars Terrae in Forma Pegasi", Bunting, Heinrich

Subject: Asia

Period: 1581 (circa)

Publication: Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae

Color: Hand Color

Size:
13.9 x 9.7 inches
35.3 x 24.6 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

Among the earliest cartographic oddities are the famous maps from Heinrich Bunting's unusual travel book based on the Bible. This woodblock map of Asia is presented as the mythical winged horse, Pegasus. The horse is drawn fairly realistically, so that a good deal of imagination is required to view the map. The head represents Asia Minor with the mouth at Istanbul. The wings portray Central Asia and Siberia with the Caspian Sea laying horizontally between the wings and the saddle. Persia is delineated on the horse blanket with the forelegs forming Arabia. The hind legs represent the Indian and Malay peninsulas. A ship, a sea creature and mermaids fill the seas. German text on verso.

References: Hill, p.39; Suarez, Fig. 54; Tooley, MCC-1 # 3; Yeo #8; Hoppen #8.

Condition: B+

A nice impression with light show-through of text on verso, minor soiling, and minor professional repairs and reinforcement along the centerfold.

Estimate: $3,000 - $3,750

Unsold

Closed on 4/26/2017

Archived