Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account
Description

Large Lithographic Facsimile of Johannes Schöner's globe of 1520

This is an exceptional mid-19th Century facsimile of the western half Johannes Schöner's remarkable globe of 1520, which appeared in the appendix of a rare German work on the life of Martin Behaim, and introductory treaties on the Oldest Maps of America by Alexander von Humboldt, published in Nuremberg in 1853.

Prepared to illustrate an essay by Humboldt, this is one of the largest and earliest facsimiles of the 1520 Schöner globe, focused on its remarkable treatment of America and East Asia.

The map is quite extraordinary, a remarkable blend of myth and early exploration.  The early treatment of America is based upon the early explorations of European explorers, seemingly even showing the results of Magellan's 1519 Voyage, although it would be 2 years before Spanish navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano completed the voyage in 1522.   

The massive Brasilia Inferior in the mythical Antarctic Continent is very unusual.  The appearance of Japan pre-dates the first modern European visit to the island by several decades.  The islands in the area of Java Major offers a fascinating early prototype of the region which would become the Philippines, Borneo, the Spice Islands, etc. The treatment of the mainland of China and Southeast Asia based largely upon Marco Polo pre-Columbian sources.  Even the North polar regions are wildly speculative.

Johannes Schöner's Globes

The globes of Johannes Schöner (1477–1547), beginning with his first in 1515, represent some of the earliest surviving terrestrial globes and are pivotal in the history of cartography. Schöner, a skilled mathematician and astronomer, combined the latest geographic knowledge with earlier works, such as Martin Waldseemüller's 1507 map and Martin Behaim's 1492 globe. His 1515 globe stands out for its depiction of the Americas as an island, described in his treatise Luculentissima quaedam terrae totius descriptio as "the New World and fourth part of the globe," reflecting the emerging understanding of transatlantic discoveries. Schöner's globe also preemptively depicts the Magellan Strait, separating South America from a southern landmass, years before its official discovery in 1520. The globe’s accompanying descriptions provide fascinating accounts of the Americas, emphasizing their exotic fauna, indigenous cultures, and resources.

Schöner's later globes, including the 1520 and 1523 editions, continued to develop these themes. His 1520 manuscript globe bears an inscription detailing its creation, attributing its production to a collaboration with Johannes Seyler. Notably, Schöner's globes repeatedly depict an Antarctic continent, which he called Brasilie Regio, based on speculative accounts of Portuguese explorations and Graeco-Roman concepts of the Antipodes. His 1523 globe, rediscovered in 1927, refined the representation of the Americas, now shown as part of Asia, reflecting evolving European understanding of global geography following Magellan’s circumnavigation. This iteration accompanied his Opusculum Geographicum, where Schöner explained his methodology of integrating astronomical data and marine charts.

Perhaps most influential was Schöner’s depiction of the Terra Australis, a southern continent described as “recently discovered but not yet fully known” on his 1523 and 1533 globes. His work directly influenced later cartographers, including Oronce Fine, Gerard Mercator, and Abraham Ortelius, who expanded on his concept of a vast southern landmass. Schöner’s ideas about the southern continent also inspired the Dieppe mapmakers and theories surrounding Jave la Grande. The Schöner globes exemplify the transitional period in cartography when geographic knowledge blended speculation, ancient ideas, and new discoveries, leaving a profound legacy on the way the world was visualized and understood. 

Rarity

Ghillany's work is rare on the market.

We note 2 examples at auction in the past 50 years.

Condition Description
Segmented in 4 sheets, as issued (sheets have been joined).