Catalog Archive
Auction 131, Lot 746

"Tab. I. Asiae, in qua Galatia, Cappadocia, Pontus, Bithynia, Asia Minor, Pamphylia, Lycia, ac Cilicia", Ptolemy/Mercator

Subject: Turkey

Period: 1730 (published)

Publication: Claudii Ptolemaei's Atlas Tabulae geographicae Orbis Terrarum

Color: Hand Color

Size:
17.9 x 13.2 inches
45.5 x 33.5 cm
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A fine Ptolemaic map of Turkey and Cyprus showing its ancient political divisions. Mercator originally published this map in his 1578 edition of Ptolemy's great Geography. Although he is most renowned today for the projection he popularized and for first using the term Atlas for a collection of maps, he devoted much of his life to his Ptolemaic maps. The maps were beautifully engraved as nearly as possible to their original form and embellished with fine cartouches. This map includes two fierce sea monsters in the Mediterranean Sea.

References: Mickwitz & Miekkavaara (Nordenskiold) #235-7.

Condition: B

There are several light ink notations throughout the map that have been lightened, but are still visible.

Estimate: $160 - $200

Sold for: $120

Closed on 3/17/2010

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