Catalog Archive
Auction 125, Lot 799

"Sumatra ein Grosse Insel so von den alten Geographen Taprobana genennt worden", Munster/Petri

Subject: East Indies - Sumatra

Period: 1628 (circa)

Publication: Cosmographia Universalis

Color: Hand Color

Size:
14.3 x 12.2 inches
36.3 x 31 cm
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Very early, scarce map of the island of Sumatra and the southern part of Malaysia. This map is Petri's revision of the early Ptolemaic map of the same name, which confused Sumatra with the island of Ceylon. It is one of the earliest maps to focus on this region. Singapore is marked on the tip of the Malay peninsula as Cingafufa. Text to the right quotes Pliny, and below is a large engraving of an elephant and his mounted handler (oddly dressed in European clothes). German title and woodcut illustration on verso.

References:

Condition: B+

Some show-through of text on verso and a professional repair in the bottom border.

Estimate: $400 - $475

Sold for: $300

Closed on 9/24/2008

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