"Figura del Mondo Universale", Munster, Sebastian

This famous woodblock map is presented on an oval projection surrounded by clouds and wind heads with the title above the map. The continents are shown in rough outline only. North America is shown with the large cleft nearly separating the east coast from the continent, often referred to as the Sea of Verazano. What appears to be a large Northwest Passage stretches towards Asia. South America has a very strange shape as well. In Africa, the Nile is prominently shown with its twin sources beginning in a range of southern mountains. The mythical islands of Grisonum and Calensuan are placed in the proximity of Australia, where there is also the label Mare Pacificum. A sailing ship and several fierce sea monsters occupy the oceans. Initials of the engraver David Kandel in lower left-hand corner. This is the second 'modern' world map to appear in Munster's Cosmographia, published between 1550 and 1578. This example is from an Italian edition, which were published in 1571 in Venice and 1578 in Cologne, with Italian text on verso.

References: Shirley #92; Manasek #12.

Condition: B+

Two tiny worm tracks towards top and some faint spots.