Catalog Archive
Auction 131, Lot 827

"Sumatra ein grosse Insel so von den alten Geographen Taprobana ist genennt worden", Munster, Sebastian

Subject: Sri Lanka

Period: 1578 (published)

Publication: Cosmographia oder beschreibung Aller Lander…

Color: Hand Color

Size:
13.3 x 10.2 inches
33.8 x 25.9 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This is a great woodblock map of the island of Taprobana, which was variously thought to be Ceylon (Sri Lanka) or Sumatra until late in the sixteenth century. This map depicts Ceylon with the typical misconceptions of Ptolemy showing a small part of India incorrectly in the northeast corner of the map. A most interesting feature of the map is the large engraving of an elephant beneath a tree that was copied from Gastaldi with descriptive text in a cartouche below. The elephant is shown with large padded feet and a scoop on the end of its trunk. German text on verso.

References:

Condition: A

There is some minor surface soil and a professionally repaired tear in the bottom margin.

Estimate: $350 - $425

Sold for: $250

Closed on 3/17/2010

Archived