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Description

A Lafreri School Map Made For Navigational Use

Rare separately published map of Greece and the Western part of Turkey, first published by Bertelli and Zenoi in 1567.

Bifolco describes the map as a reduced-scale map of Giacomo's Gastaldi 2-sheet map of Greece (Totius Gratiae Descriptio), published in 1560, but with an improved coverage of western Turkey.  However, the part of Turkey added to the east is without geographic detail.  

It should be noted that the coastal regions are drawn more accurately and in the style of nautical charts, with more information also found in the toponymy of the coasts. The map includes loxodromes or rhumb lines, which had first been invented Portuguese mathematician and cosmographer, Pedro Nunes, in 1537.  The title clearly notes that it was intended for use in navigation.

States of the Map / Rarity

Bifolco notes 3 states of the map

  • 1st state: With Zenoi's signature only
  • 2nd state: Donato Bertello imprint. Venetia Cum privilege 1569 D [ome] n [i] co. Z. F.
  • 3rd state:  date changed to 1592.

All states are rare.  RBH notes a single example at auction in 1990 (1592 edition).  AMPR notes a single example in a 1987 George Ritzlin catalog (1569).

OCLC locates copies and the BNF, Basel University Library and the Historical Library of Rastatt (Germany).