POLYHISTOR, RERUM TOTO ORBE MEMORABILIUM THESAURUS LOCUPLETISSIMUS.

Solinus, C. Julius:

Published by Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1543.

About this Item

Second edition, after the first of 1538. A landmark in the mapping of North America, this collection of geographic accounts, edited by Sebastian Münster, contains "the earliest representation of the north-west coast of America on a printed map" (Burden). It takes the form of a land mass in the upper right corner of the folding "Asia Major" map, extending northwest, labeled "Terra Incognita," and shown with a small bay, trees, and hills. The cartographer of the map is unidentified, though Wagner asserts that it was drawn by Münster. Julius Solinus (ca. 250 A.D.) was a Roman geographer of some repute. His POLYHISTOR. was first published by Nicholas Jenson in Venice in 1473, and Isingrin's edition of 1538 was the first to contain maps by Münster. Münster also added notes to the text containing up-to-date geographic information. Burden further notes that the Asia Major map shows one of the first delineations of a strait between Asia and America, some two hundred years before Bering's voyages to the region. It is also the first work to include a printed map of Asia as a whole. A significant work of geography, containing a seminal image of the northwest coast of North America. BURDEN 11. WAGNER NORTHWEST COAST, p.9. HARRISSE BAV ADDITIONS 143. JCB GERMAN BOOKS 543/2. Folio. 18th-century three-quarter calf and patterned paper boards, spine gilt, morocco label. Boards a bit bowed, spine slightly wormed. A few leaves very lightly tanned, two small worm holes in outer margin of final four leaves. Very good.

Seller Inventory # 32686

Bibliographic Details

• Title: POLYHISTOR, RERUM TOTO ORBE MEMORABILIUM THESAURUS LOCUPLETISSIMUS.
• Publisher: Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1543.