Curiosities

Maps of the Canary Islands Published before 1850 – C Broekema

The Map Collectors’ Circle publication published Nos 74 by C. Broekema in 1971. Very good condition with T.M. Perry, Australian map expert’s stamp on the front cover.

147 maps identified over 24 pages plus 13 plates of prime historical and decorative examples. Very good condition and a hard one to find.

The Canaries has always held a special place in hearts of travellers and cartographers. Known in antiquity and actively visited by Europeans from the 14thC. Appears on the Medici Portlan map of 1351. On the Hereford Mappamundi it is named “Insulae fortunatae sancti Brandani” … the “Fortunate Isles” moniker dates back to Hesiod, who spoke of the islands where perpetual summer reigned.

Canary Islands more than just a holiday. Perry’s copy.

$25.00

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Les Volcans et les Tremblements de Terre – Arnold Boscowitz – First Edition 1866

First edition published by Paul Ducrocq, Paris in 1866.

Royal octavo (266mm x 175mm), 602 pages with 16 striking lithographs by Eugene Ciceri, toned with fiery highlights, and a further 40 wood engravings in the text. Publishers original red morocco backed pebble grain cloth covered boards with bevelled design. Spin gilt in compartments, raised bands, all page edges richly gilt, textured end papers. Some obvious marks to boards and closed crack on spine some patchy internal foxing, overall a good copy of a desirable book. Heavy book (1.6kg), may require an overseas postage supplement.

Volcanologist / seismologist Boscovitz produced what is an important 19th Century survey of volcanoes and earthquakes. The impressive vies include … Vesuvius, Orizaba, Mount Etna, Cotopaxi, Kilauea Fire Lake, Stromboli, Popocatepetl, El Jorullo, geysers in Iceland, Hot Springs in New Zealand etc.

Mid 19thC Volcano and Earthquake Classic with Striking Images.

$240.00

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Map of the World “Mappmondo” – Antonio Zatta – 1790

An unusual copper engraved map of the world in two hemispheres by Antonio Zatta published in Venice in 1790.

Map dimensions … 26cm by 18cm to the plate mark, 28.5cm by 22.5cm to the edge. Fold marks as issued, page edges slightly askew.

For the date, post Cook, the depiction of Australia is very strange. Fictitious lines connect Western Australia with the south coast of Tasmania and, from there north east and out to the Solomon Islands and back around to New Guinea. The Gulf of Carpentaria is connect to New Guinea. Australia is named N Olanda. Other curiosities include a strangely drawn Japan and an unnamed Company’s Land peeps out from the extreme north east, for those that are familiar with this curiosity.

The map appears at first rather basic but on closer inspection one can see topographical features, major mountain ranges are depicted and a number of the worlds major river systems. Uncoloured as it should be. Showing some age but a good honest map of some scarcity and peculiarity.

Little is known about Antonio Zatta (1757-1797). Even his year of birth and death, usually quoted as above are challenged in some sources which suggest 1722-1804 … maybe the shorter period reflects his map making activity. We can see that this map is by him as his signature appears in the engraving bottom right … we cannot help feel the plate is based on another map, of smaller scale, usually attributed to Giovanni Rizzi Zannoni, also active in Venice during the period.

Price $290.00 unframed

Distinctive and Scarce 18th Century World Map with Curiosity

$290.00

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Mercator’s World – First Six Editions – 1996

The very first group from Vol 1 No 1 to Vol1 No 6 published in 1996 published bimonthly by Astor Publishing by Edward Astor at Astor Publishing. Very good condition.

With an Editorial and Advisory Board to die for including, Robert Clancy, David Woodward and Peter Van Der Kroot.

Each edition approximately 100 pages, heavily illustrated mostly in colour. Content extremely well researched and presented.

By example, the first edition includes … Mythical Seas; Carto controversy; the mapmaker as artist; the Line that Divided the World; the Captain Cook Legacy; the Brilliant Irascible Ferdinand Hassler … and in the second … Cartographic Thievery; Carto philately (love it); Charting Shipwrecks Down Under [New South wales]; the Island of California. Obviously much more.

Mercator’s World – the important first group of six.

$90.00

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Two by Two – Twenty- two Pairs of Maps from the Newberry Library Illustrating 500 Years of Western Cartographic History.

Published in 1993 as an interpretive guide to a major exhibition at the Newberry, which hold one of the world’s great cartographic collection.

Glossy softcover, 48 pages, with very good illustrations, one map per page. An unusual presentation of extremely rare sometimes unique maps an charts.

Beautifully done … intriguing content

$20.00

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Original Watercolour – Lt Janvarin Grassie R.N. – New South Wales – 1876

A delightful Australian School watercolour … a Woman Bathing by a Lake 32cm by 21cm. External frame dimensions. 50cm by 39cm. Lovely palette and a charming naivety.

Matted and framed by upmarket London Picture Framers, Restorers and Guilder with their label on the back. Slight hints of age but still in very good condition.

The artist date and location nicely noted lower left and right on the mat. Decorative lines drawn to mat with lovely choice of fill colouring.

After reasonable research we have not come up with anything on the artist nor any obvious record in the Royal Navy.

Nice Australian watercolour from the 1870’s – Artist named but little known about him.

$390.00

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Maps of the Canary Islands Published before 1850 – C Broekema

Les Volcans et les Tremblements de Terre – Arnold Boscowitz – First Edition 1866

Map of the World “Mappmondo” – Antonio Zatta – 1790

Mercator’s World – First Six Editions – 1996

Two by Two – Twenty- two Pairs of Maps from the Newberry Library Illustrating 500 Years of Western Cartographic History.

Original Watercolour – Lt Janvarin Grassie R.N. – New South Wales – 1876

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