Holbein’s Masterpiece Renaissance Map - THE FIRST MAP TO SHOW THE

Holbein’s Masterpiece Renaissance Map - THE FIRST MAP TO SHOW THE EARTH REVOLVING ON ITS AXIS IN AN EXCEPTIONAL CONTEMPORARY BINDING - THE CRAESELLIUS–GRAZ JESUIT–FRANK STREETER COPY [HUTTICH, Johannes (1490–1544)], Simon Grynaeus (1493–1541) (pref.), Sebastian Münster (cartog.) [and Hans Holbein (illust.)]. Novus orbis regionum ac insularum veteribus incognitarum, unà cum tabula cosmographica, & aliquot alijs consimilis argumenti libellis, quorum omnium catalogus sequenti patebit pagina. His accessit copiosus rerum memorabilium index. Basel: Io[hannes] Hervagius, 1532. First edition. Here is what AI says it’s worth: GBP 60,000. Cost: Christie’s New York, Frank S. Streeter Sale, 16 April, 2007 lot 273 - $50,400. Pot folio in 6s (11 7/8” x 8 3/16”, 302mm x 208mm): α6 β6 γ6 δ6 a-z6 A-Cc6, binder’s blank [$4 signed; –α1]. 318 leaves, pp. [48] (title, contents, 3pp. dedication, 31pp. index, 12pp. notes to the map) 1-584 2583 2584, [2] (register, printer’s device (a triple Herm)). [=xlviii, 586, ii] With a folding woodcut map (Harrisse A) of the world (inserted before p. 1). Bound in contemporary clasped tooled pigskin over beveled wood boards. On the boards, a central panel of opening buds, surrounded by a roll of heads in roundels, surrounded by a roll of rosettes, surrounded by a roll of allegorical figures (Venus, Lucretia, Prudentia) dated 1532 within a border of opening buds left-and-right, and acanthus and guilloche top-and-bottom. On the spine, four raised bands. Paper labels in the first, fourth (blue, mostly perished) and fifth panels (one, partly perished, atop another). On the first-panel label, “Grynaeus” in ink manuscript. Catches brass with three nails and a toothed roll. On the upper edge of the textblock “Novus orbis... Item(?) no 68” in ink manuscript. Presented in a quarter morocco slipcase with chemise. Rubbing and wear to the extremities, especially at the fore-corners. Some tarnish and discoloration to the clasps. On the rear covering, an extant (i.e., present before binding) hole in the pigskin has a patch below. Some scattered worming to the boards A small stain to the upper fore-corner (not affecting text) o5–s6. Some marginal foxing and overall mild toning, with the odd leaf more uniformly darkened. Ownership inscription of Johannes Craesselius (twice, once with the legend “sibi vindicat hûnc lib sit(?) empt” claims this book was bought for himself), gift inscription from him, inscription of the Jesuit College in Graz with a catalog indication (dated to 1633) and then another catalog indication of (transfer to?) the mathematical library, dated 1674. With a few marginal comments (by Craesselius?), i.a. p. 392. Although the map (rightly) has a nearly electromagnetic pull, being the first to indicate Copernicus’ model of the revolving world (predating his 1543 De revolutionibus by 11 years), the book in which it was published is monumental in its own right: the first collection of voyages. The work — indeed, both works contained in the present volume — emerges from the humanistic forge of the German-speaking Protestant world. Johann Huttich (Huttichius, 1490–1544) was part of the embassy that led Charles V to Madrid to announce his election as Holy Roman Emperor. While there he gained access to the accounts of Spanish and Portuguese (or Iberian-funded) explorers of the Americas (Cadamosto (whence the title-label), Columbus, Niño, Pinzón, Vespucci, Peter Martyr d’Anghiera) in addition to a great many voyages elsewhere (including Marco Polo) in Eurasia. While most of these had been printed elsewhere, their union in a single edited work is the first time we can discern the genre of voyages. Simon Grynaeus (Griner, 1493–1541) was a student of Melanchthon’s at Pforzheim, and is perhaps best known for finding and editing the first five books of Livy’s history of Rome (1531) that would be published by Erasmus. His role, Harrisse and others argue, was principally as prefator. Sebastian Münster (1488–1552), whose principal job was professor of Hebrew, would nevertheless go on in 1544 to publish the Cosmographia, the first description of the world in German. Shirley attributes the map to him, and indeed his twelve-page description of the map and its use suggests at the very least a deep involvement in its production. The final name attached to the work is that of Hans Holbein (The Younger, 1497–1543), who cut the fanciful border of the map with its cannibals and elephant hunt. In short, the Novus Orbus is the collective effort of some great minds of the Protestant Reformation. The map is Harrisse A (“we are inclined to consider as the genuine map;” Shirley is agnostic about precedence), distinguished by the large “ASIA”. As such it is the first visual representation of the revolutionary model of the world: it revolves around a notional axis, and it is that action that accounts for daily and seasonal change. Münster (or Holbein) depicts this with angels at the North and South Poles powering the revolution via crank. This exceptional intact binding enjoys the additional distinction of being dated to the year of publication, although of course that only dates the roll itself, which may well have been used for many years. The pairing of Lucretia and Venus calls to mind the work of Lucas Cranach (The Elder, 1472–1553); he painted both dozens of times between 1500 and his death, and the figures on the binding recall their poses. This roll is perhaps identical to EBDB r003829, which has been attributed to Caspar Angler (made master in 1526, died ca. 1565) who worked at the court of Albert, first Duke of Prussia. Johann Craesselius (Johannes Krösel, ca. 1555– 1633) was a theologian, poet and librarian, first at Ingolsadt and then at Graz. In Graz, he was a courtier of Archduke Ferdinand II (1529–1595), serving as his chaplain and as his librarian. Some 222 of his books are in the collection of the University of Graz (most initially given, as was the present item, to the Jesuit College), e.g., a 1538 (pace Christie’s) Rithaymer De orbis terrarum situ compendium in the Guldinbibliothek at the University of Graz. His books are also found elsewhere, e.g., a 1592 Roo Annales rerum belli domique ab Austriacis Habspurgicae gentis principibus in the Teleki Library (Romania), which he gave as a gift to Maximilian, Archduke of Austria. Purchased at the 2007 Christie’s New York sale of Frank S. Streeter (16 April, lot 273), who died in 2006. Son of the legendary Americana collector Thomas Streeter, Frank served for nearly 30 years as John Hay Whitney’s financial advisor and then his executor. His own collecting interest skewed towards navigation and voyages, and so the present volume must, as the first collection of accounts of voyages, have enjoyed pride of place among Streeter’s shelves. Adams G-1334, Alden & Landis 532/17, Harrisse 171, John Carter Brown Library I, p. 104 (JCB I:101), Sabin 34100, Shirley 67.

Estimate:$60,000

View all items fromArader GalleriesorBooks, Maps & Manuscripts