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Description

"Beyond all comparison the best map of the Southern Baltic and the North Sea." (A.E. Nordenskold)

Extraordinary old color example of this rare Lafreri School Map of Scandinavia, the Baltic and contiguous parts of Poland, Germany, the Low Countries and the Eastern Coastline of England, published in Venice by Giovanni Francesco Camoccio.

As noted by Ginsberg, Camoccio's map is one of three Lafreri School maps to focus on this region. Ginsberg notes:

The Scandinavia maps of Tramezzini and Camoccio illustrate the skill and versatility of their makers. Even a cursory glance reveals that the content and level of detail put these maps in a different league from any that preceded them. One has the feeling that earlier maps of Scandinavia were like pictures illustrating one of the areas of the world in an inclusive geography, whereas these maps were intended to convey extensive, accurate geographical information. As Nordenskiold . . . asserts: "When [Camoccio's] map was published, it was beyond all comparison the best map of the Southern Baltic and the North Sea.

The map is based upon the first state (1543) of Anthoniszoon's 9-sheet Caerte van oostlant. As noted by Arend Lang:

His [Anthoniszoon's] exemplary work represents a major watershed in the development of terrestial and maritime cartography. With the publication of the "Caerte de oostlant" all former cartographical drawings of the northern half of Europe, . . . including Ziegler's "Schondia" of 1532 and even the elegant copperplate engraving "Carta Marina" by the distinguished religious scholar Olaus Magnus, became obsolete.

As noted by Ginsberg and Lang, the Tramezzini and Camocio maps revolutionized the cartographic treatment of the region and would not be surpassed in detail and accuracy for decades.

States of the Map

The Camoccio map is known in 3 states:

  • 1561 date in Roman numerals, with no Camoccio attribution
  • 1562 date in Roman numerals, with no Camoccio attribution
  • 1562 date in Roman numerals, with the attribution "apud Ioannem Franciscum Camocium"

Rarity

Ginsburg notes that the map is rare, with most surviving examples being state 3 of the map.

Camoccio's map is rare on the market. Ginsburg opined that it appears about once every two years, typically state 3. The present example is an early hand colored example of state 2. Early hand colored Lafreri School maps are extremely rare on the market. It is also one of the very few Lafreri maps which is configured in the form of a sea chart, with rhumb lines.

Condition Description
Old Color. Narrow margins.