Solinus, C.J.

Polyhistor, rerum toto orbe... &

Mela, Pomponius

De situ orbis, libros tres

Basel, Isingrin. 1543

Graesse VI.1.431; Buhrmeister 172; Asia map: Sweet, nr 1; Burden nr 11

Two books in one volume.

In folio, 32,3x 20,6 cm

In contemporary, limp vellum. In a modern slipcase

Old manuscript title on front plate and spine.

Solinus: 10 nn leaves;

Title page with printers device: Palma Ising (Isingrin)

pp 1-144 including 15 maps, of which two folding and double page:

Greece in classical times and

Asia major on a unnumbered double folio

Mela: pp 145-230: 85 pages, including 5 maps

One original blank, verso colophon: Palma Ising

Example in its original state and binding

This is the second edition (first 1538) of the Solinus and the Mela cosmographies, both classical texts of geography with commentary by Petrus Johanus Olivarius and edited by Sebastian Münster, printed by Isinger. This atlas in its first edition precedes Münsters own Ptolemy Geography (1540) and Cosmography (1545).

The Solinus map of Asia (Burden 11, state 2) is one of the first, dedicated exclusively to the continent. The map also shows the north-west of the American continent: Terra incognita.

This is the earliest representation of the NW coast of America on a printed map (Burden)

Solinus

Page 7: Plan of Rome: three dimensional. Showing the walled city crossed by the Tiber r. and the major buildings

Page 23: Italy, upside down

Page 29: Morea (small)

Between pp 38 and 39: double page map of Greece

Page 43: Figura Rhodi insulae

Page 46: River Rhein

Page 48: Russia

Page:53: Mare Caspium

Page 54: Mediterranea

Page 60 : Switserland

Page 62 : Anglia

Page 80 : Africa, full page

Page104 : Iudea

Page 110 : Asia minor

1044-145 : no number : ASIA MAJOR, double page

Mela

Page 152: Europa

NB: p. 173: Inquisition crossing out, lines of text??

Page 177: Palus Meaotica

Page 186: Greece

Page 193: Sicilia