"Globe Celeste", Ortelius/Vrients

This scarce, tiny celestial map presents the northern and southern skies with mythological representations of the constellations based on Ptolemy set in a cloud background. French text on verso.

This map was published in Filips Galle's series of Epitome, which first appeared in 1588. Galle was unimpressed with the maps in the Spieghel der Wereld, and therefore gradually replaced nearly all of them through the various editions of his Epitome. The new maps had simple double-lined borders and were widely copied by others. The plates were acquired by Jan Baptist Vrients circa 1600, who published three more editions in 1601 and 1602, retouching some of the plates and replacing a few more. By the time Vrients' 1601 edition was published, only 10 of the original maps remained.

References: King (2nd Ed.) pp. 64-65 & 88-89; Phillips (A) #416; Van der Krogt (Vol. III) #0010:332.

Condition: A

There is some dampstaining that is barely visible in map image at lower right, and a small chip in the bottom blank margin.