Antique Maps by Sebastian Münster (*1489 - 1552)

Sebastian Münster was born 1489 in Ingelheim (Pfalz). First being a Franciscan, he became Professor for Theology, Hebrew and Mathematics after he converted to Protestantism in 1529. He became one of the most influencing geographers of the sixteenth century. His Cosmographia, published in 1544, spread geographical knowledge wide over Europe. It was issued in nearly 40 editions and 6 languages. Münster was the first cartographer publishing each known continent on a separate map. His second important work was the Geographia, a new edition of Ptolemys Geographia. He died May 1552 in Basel on Black Death.
  • Sebastian Münster:  Von dem Hoff zu Chur

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    Early woodcut view of Chur in Graubünden. From the German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmography, Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder , on the full text sheet. The sheet was published...

    Von dem Hoff zu Chur
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11560

    Antique woodcut town view of Chur, Graubünden. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  von der Statt Lucern

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    Early woodcut view of Lucerne. From the German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmography, Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder , on the full text sheet. The sheet was published 1574 by...

    von der Statt Lucern
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11572

    Antique woodcut town view of Luzern, Lucerne. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Beyde Stett Basel mit dem fürfliessenden Rhein und allen fürnemmen gebeüwen.

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    Large, early woodcut view of Basel by Sebastian Munster on the full double sheet. Title and a description of the city on verso. From the German edition of Sebastian Munster's Cosmography, titled...

    Beyde Stett Basel mit dem fürfliessenden Rhein und allen fürnemmen...
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11617

    Antique woodcut town view of Basel, Bale. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Mörwunder und seltzame thier, wie die in Mitnächtigen ländern gefunden werden

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    One of the most sought after 16th century curiosities.The famous charts of mythical sea and land monsters by Sebastian Munster in beautiful colours. With fantastic fishes and lobsters...

    Mörwunder und seltzame thier, wie die in Mitnächtigen ländern gefunden...
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11685

    Beautiful coloured woodcut of sea and land monsters. Published by Heinrich Petri and printed in Basel in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Das thier Rhinoceros genannt.

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    Early print of a rhinoceros. Woodcut by David Kandel after Albrecht Dürer. Verso a war elephant with soldiers. From the German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmography, titled Cosmographey oder...

    Das thier Rhinoceros genannt.
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11399

    Woodcut of an animal. Elephant, Rhinoceros. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Gering ackerbau wen in Reüssen

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1574

    Early illustration of a beekeeper. Showing two bee baskets and a beekeeper. From the German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmography, titled Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder ,...

    Gering ackerbau wen in Reüssen
    1574 - Sebastian Münster
    11746

    Woodcut of an animal. Beekeeper, bees. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Warhaffte abcontrafehtung der machtigen und vesten Statt Alkair

    Petri, Basle, circa 1575

    Woodcut view of Cairo in Egypt by Sebastian Münster. From a German edition of the "Cosmographey". Showing the city from birdeye perspective with the Pyramids, the Great Sphinx of Giza, crocodiles...

    Warhaffte abcontrafehtung der machtigen und vesten Statt Alkair
    1575 - Sebastian Münster
    10393

    Coloured woodcut town view of Cairo, Egypt. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1575.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Europa das ein Drittheil der Erden, nach gelegenheit unsern zeiten.

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1578

    16th Century Woodcut Map of Europe.One of the earliest printed maps of the European continent. Curiously oriented to the south. Shows the continent from Constantinople and Greece in the east...

    Europa das ein Drittheil der Erden, nach gelegenheit unsern zeiten.
    1578 - Sebastian Münster
    12840

    Coloured woodcut map of the European continent. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1578.

    On hold
  • Sebastian Münster:  Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen so jetziger Zeit darumb...

    Petri, Basle, circa 1580

    Attractive woodcut map showing the African continent. From a German edition of Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster printed from Petri in Basel 1580. "This map ... was based on Ortelius ... The coast...

    Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen...
    1580 - Sebastian Münster
    10110

    Coloured woodcut map of the African continent. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1580.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Africa mit seinen besundern Ländern, Thieren, und wunderbarlichen Dingen

    Petri, Basle, circa 1580

    Attractive original coloured woodcut map showing the African continent. From a German edition of Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster printed from Petri in Basel. Two interesting woodcut on backside:...

    Africa mit seinen besundern Ländern, Thieren, und wunderbarlichen Dingen
    1580 - Sebastian Münster
    10130

    Coloured woodcut map of Africa. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1580.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Algier

    Petri, Basle, circa 1580

    Woodcut cityview of Algier / Algeria / North Africa. From a German edition of Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster printed from Petri in Basel.

    Algier
    1580 - Sebastian Münster
    10132

    Antique woodcut town view of Algier. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1580.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Tunis

    Petri, Basle, circa 1580

    Woodcut cityview of Tunis / Tunisia / North Africa including zoological and botanical garden, castle Goleta, a Harem and a Thermae. From a German edition of Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster...

    Tunis
    1580 - Sebastian Münster
    10131

    Antique woodcut town view of Tunis. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1580.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Constantinopel des Griechischen Keyserthumbs Hauptstatt, im Lande Thracia am Meere gelegen

    Petri, Basle, circa 1580

    Original old woodcut view of Constantinople, today Istanbul, in Turkey by Sebastian Münster. From a German edition of the "Cosmographey". Showing the city from birdeye perspective with dozens of...

    Constantinopel des Griechischen Keyserthumbs Hauptstatt, im Lande...
    1580 - Sebastian Münster
    10394

    Antique woodcut town view of Istanbul, Constantinople. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1580.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Ptolemeisch General Tafel, die halbe Kugel der Welt begreiffende

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1588

    Ptolemaic woodcut world map by Sebastian Münster. With a surround of clouds and wind-heads. Title on verso with a beautiful woodcut vignette. This is the second ptolemaic world map of S. Münster...

    Ptolemeisch General Tafel, die halbe Kugel der Welt begreiffende
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    11588

    Ptolemaic woodcut world map by Sebastian Munster. Published by Heinrich Petri in Basel in 1588.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen so jetziger Zeit darumb

    Sebastian Petri, Basle, 1588 (1598)

    Beautiful original antique map of Africa by Sebastian Münster. Based on the Ortelius map of 1570, the coast of Brazil was added. With two sailing ships and a sea monster. On verso the title with a...

    Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    12429

    Original antique map of Africa. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Petri in 1598.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Americae sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio / Die newen Inseln, so hinder Hispania gegen Orient,...

    Sebastian Petri, Basle, 1588 (1598)

    Beautiful original antique map of America by Sebastian Münster. The west coast of North America features Vázquez de Coronado's Quivira , one of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold , as well as the...

    Americae sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio / Die newen Inseln, so hinder...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    12430

    Woodcut map of the American continent. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Petri in 1598.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Asia wie es jetziger zeit nach den fürnemesten Herrschafften abgetheilet und beschriben ist.

    Sebastian Petri, Basle, 1588

    First edition of the second map of Asia by Sebastian Münster. Shows Asia as a continent from Turkey to Southeast Asia and Japan. With a sea monster and a title cartouche. On verso the title with...

    Asia wie es jetziger zeit nach den fürnemesten Herrschafften abgetheilet...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    12428

    Original antique map of Asia. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Petri in 1588.

  • Sebastian Münster:  New Griechenlandt, mit andern anstossenden Ländern, wie es zu unsern zeiten beschriben ist.

    Heinrich Petri, Basle, circa 1588

    Woodcut map of Greece by Sebastian Münster. The map has early colour which is rare for a Seb. Münster map. Showing Greece with western Turkey. The title on verso Graciae. New Griechenlandt / so...

    New Griechenlandt, mit andern anstossenden Ländern, wie es zu unsern...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    11519

    Old coloured woodcut map of Greece. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri circa 1588.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Die erst Tafel, innhaltend das Schweytzerlandt, mit den anstossenden Ländern / Die ander Tafel...

    Sebastian Henric Petri, Basle, 1588

    Monumental map of the course of the Rhine river. The three-sheet woodcut map showing the Rhine from the headwaters in Switzerland to its mouth in the North Sea. The map on three leaves was first...

    Die erst Tafel, innhaltend das Schweytzerlandt, mit den anstossenden...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    11589

    Coloured woodcut map of the Rhine River. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Henric Petri in 1588.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Die Siebenbürg, so man sunst auch Transsylvaniam nennt

    Sebastian Petri, Basle, 1588

    Original antique map of Transylvania, Romania by Sebastian Münster. From the German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmography, titled Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder , published 1588...

    Die Siebenbürg, so man sunst auch Transsylvaniam nennt
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    12427

    Woodcut map of Transylvania. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Petri in 1588.

  • Sebastian Münster:  Der Statt Zürich in Helvetia ... / Contrafactur Der Statt Zürich Anno 1595

    Petri, Basle, circa 1600

    Early impressively detailed bird's-eye view of Zurich from Sebastian Munster. From a German edition of his 'Cosmographia', printed from a wood block around 1600 in Basel. Extensive key at lower...

    Der Statt Zürich in Helvetia ... / Contrafactur Der Statt Zürich Anno 1595
    1600 - Sebastian Münster
    10950

    Antique woodcut town view of Zurich. Printed in Basle by Petri circa 1600.

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