Antique map of Greece by Ptolemy 1478
"The new copper plates engraved at Rome for the 1478 edition of Ptolemy's 'Geography' are much superior in clarity and craftsmanship to those of the Bologna edition. There is evidence that work on the Rome edition had been started in 1473 or 1474, and several of the plates may have been engraved before those printed at Bologna in 1477. Two skilled printers of German origin carried out the printing: Conrad Sweynheym and his successor Arnold Buckinck; the publisher was Domitius Calderinus. Many consider the Rome plates the finest Ptolemaic plates until Gerard Mercator engraved his classical world atlas of 1578." (Shirley)
"Until the 1477 edition was definitively dated, this edition was thought to be the oldest engraved atlas. It was printed by Arnoldus Buckinck and is thought to be the only known book with his imprint. At first, the engraving was supervised by a German, Conrad Sweynheym of Main (d. 1477). His method of using a printing press for the copperplate maps and the fine engraving produced an excellent result. Domitius Calderinus of Verona edited the text; he collated various Latin manuscripts in the translation by Jacobus Angelus with an ancient Greek Manuscript, which had been amended by Geirgius Gemistus (d. 1450). Calderinus was a careful worker, and his edition was admired for its correctness, fine typography, and brilliant engraving. Christopher Colombus owned a copy of this edition, which he annotated. The edition's run is unknown, but it is considered scarce and, therefore, rare and important. ..." (Nordenskiöld)
Claudius Ptolemy (c.100 – c.170 AD)
Claudius Ptolemaeus was a Greek astronomer, mathematician, and geographer who lived in Alexandria in the 2nd century. His ideas influenced much of medieval astronomy and geography. He was the first to use longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates. His idea of a global coordinate system was highly influential, and we use a similar system today.
Ptolemy wrote several scientific treatises. The first is the astronomical treatise, now known as the Almagest. The second is the Geography, which is a thorough discussion of the geographic knowledge of the Greco-Roman world. The third is the Apotelesmatika, an astrological treatise in which he attempted to adapt horoscopic astrology to the Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day.
The Geographia is a compilation of geographical coordinates of the part of the world known to the Roman Empire during his time. However, the maps in surviving manuscripts of Ptolemy's Geography only date from about 1300, after Maximus Planudes rediscovered the text. It seems likely that the topographical tables are cumulative texts that were altered and added to as new knowledge became available in the centuries after Ptolemy.
The earliest printed edition with engraved maps was produced in Bologna in 1477, followed quickly by a Roman edition in 1478. An edition printed at Ulm in 1482, including woodcut maps, was the first one published north of the Alps.
Decima et Ultima Europe Tabula
Item Number: 20919 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > Southeastern Europe
Antique map of Greece by Ptolemy.
Title: Decima et Ultima Europe Tabula
Date: 1478.
Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Size (not including margins): 363 x 435mm (14.29 x 17.13 inches).
Verso: Blank.
Condition: Old-coloured, excellent.
Condition Rating: A+
From: Claudii Ptolemaei Alexandrini philosophi Geographiam Romae. Rome, 1478.
First available printed map, based on the trapezoidal prototype map of Nicolaus Germanus. Engraved under the supervision of Conrad Sweynheim and published in Rome by Buckinck.
"The new copper plates engraved at Rome for the 1478 edition of Ptolemy's 'Geography' are much superior in clarity and craftsmanship to those of the Bologna edition. There is evidence that work on the Rome edition had been started in 1473 or 1474, and several of the plates may have been engraved before those printed at Bologna in 1477. Two skilled printers of German origin carried out the printing: Conrad Sweynheym and his successor Arnold Buckinck; the publisher was Domitius Calderinus. Many consider the Rome plates the finest Ptolemaic plates until Gerard Mercator engraved his classical world atlas of 1578." (Shirley)
"Until the 1477 edition was definitively dated, this edition was thought to be the oldest engraved atlas. It was printed by Arnoldus Buckinck and is thought to be the only known book with his imprint. At first, the engraving was supervised by a German, Conrad Sweynheym of Main (d. 1477). His method of using a printing press for the copperplate maps and the fine engraving produced an excellent result. Domitius Calderinus of Verona edited the text; he collated various Latin manuscripts in the translation by Jacobus Angelus with an ancient Greek Manuscript, which had been amended by Geirgius Gemistus (d. 1450). Calderinus was a careful worker, and his edition was admired for its correctness, fine typography, and brilliant engraving. Christopher Colombus owned a copy of this edition, which he annotated. The edition's run is unknown, but it is considered scarce and, therefore, rare and important. ..." (Nordenskiöld)
Claudius Ptolemy (c.100 – c.170 AD)
Claudius Ptolemaeus was a Greek astronomer, mathematician, and geographer who lived in Alexandria in the 2nd century. His ideas influenced much of medieval astronomy and geography. He was the first to use longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates. His idea of a global coordinate system was highly influential, and we use a similar system today.
Ptolemy wrote several scientific treatises. The first is the astronomical treatise, now known as the Almagest. The second is the Geography, which is a thorough discussion of the geographic knowledge of the Greco-Roman world. The third is the Apotelesmatika, an astrological treatise in which he attempted to adapt horoscopic astrology to the Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day.
The Geographia is a compilation of geographical coordinates of the part of the world known to the Roman Empire during his time. However, the maps in surviving manuscripts of Ptolemy's Geography only date from about 1300, after Maximus Planudes rediscovered the text. It seems likely that the topographical tables are cumulative texts that were altered and added to as new knowledge became available in the centuries after Ptolemy.
The earliest printed edition with engraved maps was produced in Bologna in 1477, followed quickly by a Roman edition in 1478. An edition printed at Ulm in 1482, including woodcut maps, was the first one published north of the Alps.