Description
First state of the Tartary map by A. Ortelius. Showing large part of Asia from Black Sea with Russia, parts of China, a curious early treatment of Japan and an early treatment of the West Coast of America with California. This map represents the earliest obtainable map to name California. Decorated with two galleons, two large cartouches, a flying fish and several tents. From the first edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, printed in 1570 with Latin text on verso.
Condition
Small tears in upper centrefold in margin backed. A very good copy.
Cartographer
Abraham Ortelius was born 1527 in Antwerp. He studied mathematics, Greek and Latin and travelled a lot across Europe. He established a business in dealing with books and drawing maps. His first remarkable map was a 8 sheet world map in the year 1564, but only three copies have survived. In 1570 he issued the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern Atlas with uniformly sized maps in a systematic collection. The term Atlas was not used until Mercator introduced it 20 years later. Most of the maps in Theatrum have been engraved by Frans Hogenberg. At the time of publication, the atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Nevertheless it was a big success and around 7000 copies have been printed until 1612 in many editions and six different languages. Beside the Theatrum, Ortelius compiled a series of historical maps and published it in the Parergon Theatri which was bound with the Theatrum from 1579 onwards or published separately.
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Abraham Ortelius: Tartariae sive Magni Chami Regni Typus.
Coloured map of the Tartary. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1570.
Russia - Ortelius, Abraham - Tartariae sive Magni Chami Regni Typus