"Basis Geographiae Recentioris Astronomica in qua Situs Locorum Insigniorum Geographici ea Exactitudine...", Doppelmayr/Homann

Dopplemayr's scarce world map is a unique combination of scientific and decorative cartography. The map is based on coordinates established for 142 places, which are shown in the tables above and below the double hemisphere map. The continents are shown in outline form without political detail. In North America California is an island, and there is a hint of a possible Northwest Passage from Hudson Bay to the Strait of Anian. In the Eastern Hemisphere only the western and northern coastlines of Australia are shown, and Japan is shown twice (once to illustrate Sanson's error that placed it too far east). This is the second state with additional information from Leodium (Liege), Cadiz, Petropolis and Tornio added to the original 138 places in the tables. The richly engraved decorative elements are much more than mere embellishments. The scenes include cherubs using a variety of contemporary instruments at an observatory. On the left, a cherub is sighting a long refracting telescope on the lunar eclipse in the opposite upper corner. In the center, a solar projector is used to measure the eclipse of the sun in the spandrel directly above. On the right, longitude is being determined by observing the transit of the moons of Jupiter in the upper left corner. Shirley refers to this map as being 'neglected' and considers it "in advance of its time." It certainly is one of the most interesting world maps of the 18th century.

References: Shirley (TMC-46) pp. 34-38.

Condition: B

On watermarked paper with scattered foxing and a few centerfold separations that have been closed on verso with tape. There is one tiny hole in a blank area of the image only visible when held to light and minor soiling in the blank margins.