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A Map or groundplot of the Citty of London and the Suburbes thereof that is to say all which is within the iurisdiction of the Lord Mayor or properlie calld ‘t Londo[n] by whijch is exactly demonstrated the present condition thereof since the last sad accident of fire. The blanke space signifeing the burnt part & where the houses are exprest those places yet standi[n]g.

HOLLAR, W[enceslaus] Hollar's post-fire survey of London Engraved map, with inset map and key, trimmed to neatline. The Great Fire of London broke out in a bakery on Pudding Lane, on Sunday 2nd September 1666 and raged for three days destroying most of the City of London. By the end, the fire had consumed some 13,000 buildings from Temple in the west to The Tower in the east, and Cripple Gate in the north, with thousands of people being left homeless. Just five days after the flames had been tamed, the King commission Wenceslaus Hollar and Francis Sandford "to take an exact plan and survey of our city of London with the suburbs adjoining as the same now stands after the sad calamity of the late fire with a particular depiction of the ruins thereof". Hollar was an obvious choice as he had been preparing, since 1660, a large bird's-eye view of the city, some "10 foot in breadth, and 5 foot upward". Although his grand view was backed by the King, the project struggled for funding, and the Great Fire would make many of his endeavours redundant. Nonetheless, the two men worked quickly to survey the wreckage and by mid-November Hollar had engraved the first map showing the extent of the damage: 'A Map of the Groundplott of the Citty of London with the Suburbes thereof.'. Soon after, or more probably concurrently, he would engrave this map, for the map and printseller John Overton. The map is on the same scale as the former work, and bears an almost identical title. However, Hollar has slightly increased its extent to include Lincoln Inn's in the west, and more buildings east of The Tower of London. The area devastated by the fire is shown devoid of house, only the street layout and the ground plans of the churches and principal public buildings are marked. The key, which as been moved to the lower right-hand corner, lists 101 churches, 82 of which had been consumed by the fire, together with a list of 24 public buildings and gates (A-Z), and 14 whares, staires, and docks (a-o). Hollar has also included, for the first time on any post fire map, an inset of the whole of London, 'A General Map of the whole Citty of London with Westminster and all the suburbs.', which puts into context just how devastating the fire was for central London. This map together with John Leake's survey of the city of 1667, which Hollar would also engrave, would form the basis for the reconstruction of the city. Hollar work was extensively used by the likes of John Evevlyn and Robert Hooke, for the reconstruction of the city, and copied by many European mapsellers. The plan is even mentioned in glowing terms by Samuel Pepys in his diary, 22 November 1666: "My Lord Boruncker did show me Hollar's new print of the City, with a pretty representation of that part which is burnt, very fine indeed; and tells me that he was yesterday sworn the King's servant, and that the King hath commanded him to go on with his great map of the City, which he was upon before the City burned, like Gombout of Paris, which I am Glad of." And by John Evelyn: "I have since lighted upon Mr. Hollar's late Plan, which looking upon as the most accurate hitherto, has caus'd me something to alter what I had so crudely don [sic]". The present example is the second state, which was printed and sold by John Overton. NHG Hollar 1916 II; Pennington 1004ii; BM 1856,0607.6.
  • $13,243
  • $13,243
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Zodiacus Stellatus Fixas omnes Hactenus cognitas ad quas lunae appulsus ullibi terrarum telescopio observari potrunt complexus.

HALLEY, Edmond; John SENEX Halley's Zodiacus Stellatus Large folio (670 by 420 mm), engraved charts on two sheets, quarter buckram, red marbled paper wrappers, a few nicks and tears. Senex's 'Zodiacus Stellatus' was first published in 1718. A catalogue issued in that year records "Just Finish'd. 1. A New and Exact Map of the Zodiack on two Imperial Sheets, wherein the Stars are laid down from the best and latest Observations, together with an Explanation of its Uses both in Astronomy, and for Determining the Longitude at Sea", but the first appearance can be narrowed down from two advertisements placed in the 'Post Boy' (issue 4477) for 5th-8th April, 1718, and repeated in the subsequent issue: "This Day is publish'd, [printer's symbols] Zodiacus Stellatus fixas omnes hactenus cognitas, ad quas Lunæ appulsus ullibi terrarum Telescopio observari poterunt, complexus. Or, An exact Description of all the fix'd Stars, to which the Moon or Planets can at any time apply, carefully laid down on two large sheets, from the British Catalogue of Stars lately publish'd; being of use to all Lovers of Astronomy, and particularly to such as may be desirous to put in Practice the Art of finding the Longitude by Help of the Moon." These two announcements contain valuable information about the sources and making of the star chart not found on the chart itself, which explain the importance of the delineation. The 'Zodiacus Stellatus' has a chequered past. John Flamsteed, the Astronomer Royal, was a perfectionist; as such, he was determined that his material should not be published until he was satisfied with its accuracy, a day which never quite arrived. However, in 1712, under pressure from Isaac Newton and Edmond Halley (among others), he provided the Royal Society with a manuscript copy of his catalogue of stars and an explanatory text, giving them permission to edit the text (but not the catalogue) for publication. Instead, Halley published the Catalogue of Stars without Flamsteed's permission. An enraged Flamsteed responded by buying every copy of the book he could find (about three hundred out of the four hundred printed) and destroying them all. Subsequently, Halley took the raw data from the catalogue and constructed a star chart, the 'Zodiacus Stellatus', from Flamsteed's observations, which was published under Senex's name. In a letter from one of Flamsteed's assistants to another from 1720, Joseph Crosthwaite commented: ". Senex is so much a tool of Dr. Halley's, and affronted Mr. Flamsteed so much in his lifetime by engraving the 'Zodiacus Stellatus', and putting his own name to it, in order to screen Dr. Halley from the law, that I am afraid he is not to be trusted." (quoted by Warner, 'The Sky Explored', p.242). As Crosthwaite noted, the map was issued without credit either to Flamsteed or Halley, but Senex's catalogue description makes the link clear. "The 'Zodiacus Stellatus' depicts the "zodiac constellations in three long strips arranged vertically over two pages [i.e. sheets]. Each sheet was centred 8 degrees above and below the ecliptic using a cylindrical projection with geocentric orientation" [Kanas, 'Star Charts', p.206]. It was the second European printed zodiac chart but its basis on Flamsteed's authoritative observations made it far superior to its predecessor, and it remained in wide usage for many decades to come.
  • $13,243
  • $13,243
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A Pocket Book containing several Choice Collections in Arithmetick, Navigation, Astronomy, Astrology, Geometry, Geography, Surveying, Measuring, Dialling, Gageing.

SELLER, John The Wardington "vade-mecum for English gentlemen" Third edition, early issue, 8vo (140 by 85mm), engraved title and 71 plates and tables (some double-page, 3 with moveable volvelles and including 6 maps), coloured in a contemporary hand, 40pp. text, contemporary calf, Pease crests added in gilt, spine repaired at head and foot Seller's Pocket Book is a vade-mecum for English gentlemen, a compendium of useful information for every occasion, with an impressively wide-ranging series of tables including, among others, monthly almanacs, calendars, lists of the Kings of England and Lord Mayors of London, feast days, tables to calculate Easter and the full moon, tables of astronomy, trigonometry, geometry, weights and measures, and even a table to calculate how many bricks would be needed to make a wall. One of the most uncommon of the plates is a double-page engraving explaining Edward Coleman's system of cyphers. Two of the maps are double-page: A Mapp of the World Shewing what a Clock it is (at any time) in any part of the World, and A Traveling Mapp of England. & Dominon of Wales. The world map has an accompanying full-page leaf with rotating overlay, and both seem to have been engraved for use in the Pocket Book. The single-page maps are of the continents (with the Americas on two sheets, North and South America), each with an accompanying engraved table of the divisions (or countries/regions), first prepared for the Book of Geography, and its later edition the Atlas minimus. These maps were also used in editions of Seller's pocket atlases, the New Systeme of Geography [1684, and later], and Atlas Terrestris [ca. 1685, and later]. The Pocket Book is famous for its varied collations; it was first published in 1676 or 1677, and re-issued frequently thereafter to about 1707, with some of the composition due to the whim of the purchaser. For this third edition, the engraved title-page has been re-engraved, inserting Seller's shop address at the Hermitage Stairs in Wapping, with his shop address in Cornhill dateable between 1678 and 1681. This is an early issue of the third edition, with all but one of the monthly almanac leaves in the first state, and without the double-page engraved plates from the Atlas Coelestis [1680], found in other examples of this edition, but with the double-page plate with a table to calculate the day of the new and full moon re-engraved for the years 1680–1700 (but actually only showing 1680 to 1692), this accomplished simply by engraving over the superfluous left hand columns. Provenance: Lord Wardington (1924-2005), bookplate. cf. Shirley, British Library T.SELL-4a; cf. Wing S2480
  • $33,107
  • $33,107
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White spot on Saturn seen from the Hubble Telescope, Nov 1990.

NASA Sixth planet from the sun Vintage chromogenic print, NASA caption hinged to verso. Taken by the Planetary Camera in blue and infrared light. In 1923, the "father of modern rocketry", Hermann Oberth, along with Robert H. Goddard and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, published Die Rakete zu den Planetenräumen ("The Rocket into Planetary Space"), which mentioned how a telescope could be propelled into Earth orbit by a rocket. The Hubble Space Telescope (named after astronomer Edwin Hubble) was not the first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most versatile. Its history can be traced back as far as 1946, to astronomer Lyman Spitzer's paper entitled Astronomical advantages of an extraterrestrial observatory. In it, he discussed the two main advantages that a space-based observatory would have over ground-based telescopes: First, the angular resolution (the smallest separation at which objects can be clearly distinguished) would be limited only by diffraction, rather than by the turbulence in the atmosphere, which causes stars to twinkle, known to astronomers as seeing. Second, a space-based telescope could observe infrared and ultraviolet light, which are strongly absorbed by the atmosphere of Earth. Also crucial was the work of Nancy Grace Roman, the "Mother of Hubble", who gave public lectures touting the scientific value of the telescope. The Hubble telescope was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was originally funded and built in the 1970s by the United States space agency NASA with contributions from the European Space Agency. Its intended launch was in 1983, but the project was beset by technical delays, budget problems, and the 1986 Challenger disaster. Hubble was finally launched in 1990, but its main mirror had been ground incorrectly, resulting in spherical aberration that compromised the telescope's capabilities. The optics were corrected to their intended quality by a servicing mission in 1993. Hubble is the only telescope designed to be maintained in space by astronauts. Five Space Shuttle missions have repaired, upgraded, and replaced systems on the telescope, including all five of the main instruments.
  • $13,243
  • $13,243
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[A pair of globes – Terrestrial and Celestial]. To the Rt. Honorable Sir Joseph Banks BARt. K.B. President of the Royal Society This New British Terrestrial Globe [WITH:] To the Rev Nevil Maskelyne D.D. FRS. Astronomer Royal This New British Celestial Globe.

BARDIN, William. A pair of 18-inch Bardin Globes on Table Stands A pair of 18-inch table globes, raised on four turned mahogany legs with stretcher, spheres covered with plaster coating, two sets of 12 engraved and hand-coloured half gores on each globe, varnished. The Bardin family were among the greatest globe makers in London from the late eighteenth to the early nineteenth century. The patriarch of the family, William Bardin (d. 1798), began globe production in the 1780s. The origin of Bardin's globes is thought to be traceable to the early eighteenth century globes of John Senex. Fifteen years after Senex's death, the copper plates for his globe gores were sold to James Ferguson. In 1757, Ferguson transferred his globe trade, including his Senex globe gores, to the scientific instrument maker and lecturer Benjamin Martin (1704-1782). One of Bardin's earliest globes refers directly to Ferguson: "A New, Accurate, and Compleat Terrestrial Globe. originally laid down by the late Mr. James Ferguson, F.R.S. 1783." William Bardin's connection with Ferguson is thought to be through Gabriel Wright (d. 1803-04), an apprentice of Benjamin Martin. Wright went to work for the Bardin family of globe makers and worked with Bardin in creating his first globe in 1782. In 1790, William Bardin's son, Thomas Marriott Bardin, completed a seven-year apprenticeship, and immediately joined ranks with his father, the firm thereafter trading as W. & T.M. Bardin. In 1798, the father and the son team began publication of their "New British Globes." The 18-inch New British Globes include dedications to the scientist Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society (terrestrial) and astronomer Neville Maskelyne (celestial), and were frequently marketed by the scientific instrument makers and dealers W. & S. Jones. The skill required for the production of these 12- and 18-inch globes was much admired by the Bardin's contemporaries. Following T.M. Bardin's death in 1819, his daughter, Elizabeth Marriott Bardin, continued the family's globe production until 1832, at which time the company's title was passed to her husband, Samuel Sabine Edkins.
  • $105,944
  • $105,944
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Sed nulla potentia longa est Quo non discordia Cives

HOLLAR, [Wenceslaus] A previously unrecorded state Engraved map with view and 16 inset vignettes, trimmed to plate mark. Hollar's detailed print is not simply a map of the British Isles but also a political commentary comparing the English Civil War and the Bohemian Civil War of a few decades earlier. The Thirty Years War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648, provided the training field for many English and Scottish soldiers who became members of Swedish mercenary forces, before later fighting in their own civil war at home. The English Civil War took place alongside the end of the longer, more widespread and bloodier conflict in mainland Europe, in which the Bohemian Civil War, or Hussite Wars, which was fought 1619 to 1634, played a significant role in the early developments. For this reason the Hollar, who was Czech but spent much of his career in England, presents the conflicts together on a single sheet. The central portion of the print is taken up on the left with a map of the British Isles, with armies drawn up on the land and battle ships assembled in the North Sea, and on the right with a view of Hollar's native Prague and the Battle of the White Mountain, which occurred in 1620. Surrounding these two images are sixteen vignettes presenting notable historical evegnts, identified along the lower edge in four columns of text. Among these are a scene showing Jenny Geddes throwing her stool at Mr Hannay, the Dean of St Giles, Edinburgh, when he began to read from the new prayer book (C); the King dissolving his fourth Parliament in 1640 (F) and also confronting Speaker Lenthall as he attempts to arrest five members (I); peaceful bucolic scenes reflecting on life before the wars (O; P); Emperor Matthias making Ferdinand King of Hungary (T); the citizens of Prague presenting Frederick of the Palatinate with the crown of Bohemia (V); the Defenestration of Prague when the Barons' secretary was ejected from a castle window, and remarkably survived (W); the execution of Protestant prisoners after the Battle of the White Mountain (Z). In the centre of these columns in a roundel (M), captioned "Twas a Curst Cow, kickt down ye Milk shee gave: Let us old Englands Lawes and Freedome have". The cow kicking over milk-pail had become an emblem of civil war. NHG Hollar 1707; cf. Pennington 543.
  • $1,986
  • $1,986
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Grænwich

HOLLAR, Wenceslaus Greenwich Etched print on two sheets joined, trimmed to neatline, some creases and old repairs. Hollar's panoramic view of Greenwich encompasses many of the features that made the seventeenth century town an important location, from Greenwich Palace to the buildings of the City of London visible in the background. From the top of a hill, the Thames can be seen extending into the distance, small and large vessels alike on its waters, while the nearby land is taken up by fields and buildings alike. Large clouds loom overhead and two female figures stand on the hillside. ??Just to their left is an ornate cartouche containing the dedication to Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I, although the text was changed in later editions. In the centre is shown the facade of Queen's House, originally commissioned by Queen Anne and then granted by Charles to Henrietta Maria, with Inigo Jones completing a new wing. Standing to the left, on the site of what would soon become the Royal Observatory, is Greenwich Palace, the birthplace of many Tudor monarchs and a favourite hunting lodge among the London nobility. During the Civil War, the palace was used as a biscuit factory and prisoner-of-war camp, and large parts were destroyed. Following the conflict, both palace and park were seized to serve as the 'mansion' of the Lord Protector during the Interregnum. Although King Charles II would later make ambitious plans for a new palace, finances never allowed these to come to fruition. The panorama was one of the earliest views of London made by Hollar, created the year that he arrived in England with Thomas, Duke of Norfolk. The present example is the third state, in which four lines of Latin are found in the cartouche, along with the signature of 'Hen: Pechamus'. This state therefore dates before 1643, when Peacham died. NHG Hollar 246 III; Pennington 977iii; BM 1855,0609.23.
  • $5,297
  • $5,297
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Excellentissimo Domino d. Lamoraldo Claudio Francisco. Antoni

HOLLAR, Wenceslaus Lamoral II's embassy to Hemiksen A set of four etchings plus title, fine impressions printed on paper with a Strasburg Lily watermark, trimmed on the platemark but showing the borderline as usual, mounted and contained within a black buckram box. A set of four etchings (plus title), to commemorate the visit paid by the Imperial Post-master General, the Count de la Tour et Taxis (Thurn und Taxis), and his wife to the Imperial Postmaster of the Netherlands, Alexander Roelants. During the brief period he was out of England, from 1645 to 1652, Hollar may have personally witnessed the event. Lamoral II Claudius Franz, Count of Thurn and Taxis had inherited the office of Imperial Postmaster General from his mother, who had been instrumental in the development of the imperial postal system. In 1649, Lamoral himself was granted permission to set up post stations anywhere within the Holy Roman Empire, a task to which he personally dedicated himself, visiting new stations and campaigning for the expansion of the network. It is likely that Hollar's prints show him doing just this. Drawn in 1650, the set of four etchings with titlepage shows the count approaching Hemiksen in Antwerp, where Hollar lived at this time, visiting its church, meeting with Roelants and watching a firework display. Lamoral and his wife are accompanied in each print by a retinue of attendants and surrounded by the curious residents of Hemiksen. Beneath each image is a short inscription in Latin describing the scene, which is unlikely to be by Hollar himself. Provenance: The title: G.A. Cardew (Lugt 1134). The four etchings: John Cornforth. NHG Hollar 1082-1086; cf. Pennington 562-6.
  • $3,973
  • $3,973
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A Genealogical History of the Kings of England and Monarchs of Great Britain &c. From the Conquest, Anno 1066 to the year 1677 Containing a Discourse Of their several Lives, Marriages and Issues, Times of birth, Death, Places of Burial, and Monumental Inscriptions. With their Effigies, Seals, Tombs, Cenotaphs, Devices, Arms, Quarterings, Crests and Supporters

SANDFORD, Francis First edition First editon. Folio (270 by 220mm), title printed in red and black, 5 ff., pp. 578 [recte 590, mispagination occurs between pp. 84 and 94], 6 ff. [incl. errata], profusely illustrated by Hollar 23 of which full-page and 26 engravings in the text, 8 genealogical tables, occasional light browning, later blind-tooled Russia rebacked relaying part of the original backstrip, corners repaired Sandford (1630-1694) herald and genealogist died on 17 Jan. 1694 : 'advanced in years, neglected, and poor' in the prison of Newgate, where he had been confined for debt. This book was his most renowned work in which he described all the English rulers &c. principally by means of reference to the numerous Seals, Tombs, Cenotaphs to be found in Westminster Abbey and elsewhere. For the accompanying illustrations 23 of the full page plates and one smaller image were supplied by Hollar, with the remainder, mainly comprising smaller images and text vignettes, being executed by the engraver Richard Gaywood. "This magnificent volume was compiled by the direction and encouragement of Charles II. During a severe illness with which the author was attacked, a part of the text was furnished by Gregory King, who assisted in preparing the work for the press. The plan of the performance is excellent and the plates are by Hollar and other eminent artists". Provenance: Earl Gower (bookplate) Lowndes 2187; Moule, CCLXXVI; NHG Hollar 2360, 2368, R232, 2369, 2354, 2356, 2357, R233, R234, 2359, 2638, 1618, 2364, 2363, 2352, 2365, 2367, 2361, 2351, 2366, 2353, 2355, 2358, R235; Pennington 2252, 2282, 2302-3, 2308, 2312-3, 2317A, 2328, 2333, 2335A, 2355, 2362-3, 2365, 2379, 2414-5, 2423, 2465, 2617-8, 2622, 2624; Wing S 651.
  • $1,986
  • $1,986
Abbildung Session des Parlaments zu Londen uber den Sententz des Grafen von Stafford.

Abbildung Session des Parlaments zu Londen uber den Sententz des Grafen von Stafford.

HOLLAR, W[enceslaus] The trial of the Earl of Strafford Etched print. The case agains Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, is the focus of several prints by Wenceslaus Hollar. The present examples depicts Strafford's trial in the House of Lords, which came about after his long-term opponent John Pym brought the case for impeachment to the House on November 11, 1640. Although Strafford went in person to confront his accusers, he was immediately withdrawn and taken into custody; he was held in the Tower of London for the subsequent months. Eventually the impeachment charge failed and so Parliament passed a bill of attainder allowing Strafford to be charged and executed on May 12, 1641. Hollar's print shows the packed House of Lords during Stafford's trial, with a 25-point alphabetical key identifying various figures and features shown, such as the king's "Seate of State", "P. the Earls, Q. the Viscounts, R. the Barons, S. the Knights", and naturally "V. the Earle of Strafford", standing in a raised box and facing away towards the top of the House. Interestingly, the clerks seems to be making their notes on the floor. The present example is the second state, which was included in the 'Theatrum Europaeum' of J.P. Abelin published in Frankfurt in 1643. Abelin added a German title above the print, in which the defendant is named Earl "Stafford" rather than Strafford. New Hollstein German 330 I; Pennington 551ii. 270 by 300mm. (10.75 by 11.75 inches). Plate size: 254 by 275mm.
  • $662
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[North Africa, Sardinia and Sicily] Secunda Affrice Tabula.

A striking map of North Africa, Sardinia and Sicily from the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy Woodcut map, fine original hand-colour, minor losses to top and bottom margins skilfully repaired. The map was published in the first atlas printed outside Italy and the first atlas illustrated with woodcut maps. In 1482 Lienhart Holle in Ulm published a revised edition of Ptolemy's Geographia with the reworking of the Ptolemaic corpus by the cartographer Nicolaus Germanus Donis. The atlas included five additional "modern" maps: Italy, Spain, France, Scandinavia, and the Holy Land. The atlas would be the first book printed by Lienhart Holle, however, it would appear that the venture proved ruinously expensive and his business would go bankrupt shortly after publication. The remaining sheets, the woodblocks and the types passed to Johann Reger in Ulm, who reissued the work in 1486. As well as the modern maps the atlas bears some other notable first. It was the first time that maps were signed by the artist responsible for the woodcutting; in this case Johannes of Armsheim, who signed the world map, and incorporated a backwards N into the woodcut text on each map. It is also the first to print the accompanying text on the verso of the map to which it refers. Another important feature of the Ulm editions is the introduction of the publisher's colouring upon the maps. Maps from 1482 usually have a rich blue colour in the sea which was replaced with a soft brown colour in 1486. Campbell, T., 'Earliest Printed Maps', p. 179-210; Schreiber 5032; Skelton, R.A., Bibliographical note prefixed to the facsimile of the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy
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[Germany] Quarta Europe Tabula

A striking map of Germany from the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy Woodcut map, fine original hand-colour, minor losses to lower gutter and edges skilfully repaired. The map was published in the first atlas printed outside Italy and the first atlas illustrated with woodcut maps. In 1482 Lienhart Holle in Ulm published a revised edition of Ptolemy's Geographia with the reworking of the Ptolemaic corpus by the cartographer Nicolaus Germanus Donis. The atlas included five additional "modern" maps: Italy, Spain, France, Scandinavia, and the Holy Land. The atlas would be the first book printed by Lienhart Holle, however, it would appear that the venture proved ruinously expensive and his business would go bankrupt shortly after publication. The remaining sheets, the woodblocks and the types passed to Johann Reger in Ulm, who reissued the work in 1486. As well as the modern maps the atlas bears some other notable first. It was the first time that maps were signed by the artist responsible for the woodcutting; in this case Johannes of Armsheim, who signed the world map, and incorporated a backwards N into the woodcut text on each map. It is also the first to print the accompanying text on the verso of the map to which it refers. Another important feature of the Ulm editions is the introduction of the publisher's colouring upon the maps. Maps from 1482 usually have a rich blue colour in the sea which was replaced with a soft brown colour in 1486. Campbell, T., 'Earliest Printed Maps', p. 179-210; Schreiber 5032; Skelton, R.A., Bibliographical note prefixed to the facsimile of the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy
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[Africa] Quarta et Ultima Affrice Tabula.

A striking map of Africa from the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy Woodcut map, fine original hand-colour, minor losses to gutters skilfully repaired. The map was published in the first atlas printed outside Italy and the first atlas illustrated with woodcut maps. In 1482 Lienhart Holle in Ulm published a revised edition of Ptolemy's Geographia with the reworking of the Ptolemaic corpus by the cartographer Nicolaus Germanus Donis. The atlas included five additional "modern" maps: Italy, Spain, France, Scandinavia, and the Holy Land. The atlas would be the first book printed by Lienhart Holle, however, it would appear that the venture proved ruinously expensive and his business would go bankrupt shortly after publication. The remaining sheets, the woodblocks and the types passed to Johann Reger in Ulm, who reissued the work in 1486. As well as the modern maps the atlas bears some other notable first. It was the first time that maps were signed by the artist responsible for the woodcutting; in this case Johannes of Armsheim, who signed the world map, and incorporated a backwards N into the woodcut text on each map. It is also the first to print the accompanying text on the verso of the map to which it refers. Another important feature of the Ulm editions is the introduction of the publisher's colouring upon the maps. Maps from 1482 usually have a rich blue colour in the sea which was replaced with a soft brown colour in 1486. Campbell, T., 'Earliest Printed Maps', p. 179-210; Schreiber 5032; Skelton, R.A., Bibliographical note prefixed to the facsimile of the 1482 Ulm Ptolemy
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Carte de l’Angleterre et d’une partie d’Ecosse Gravée par le celebre Hollar.

The map that lasted 100 years Engraved map in 6 double-page sheets, (each approximately 545 by 665mm), fine original outline hand-colour, a few skilfully repaired tears at centrefolds. A fine example of John Rocque's edition of "The Quartermaster's map", published some 108 years after Thomas Jenner's original edition. The succession of states of the Quartermaster's map is complex and confusing. The map was first issued by Jenner in 1644, and, according to Pennington: "there were two states. He re-issued it in 1671. On Jenner's death his stock passed to John Garrett, who added roads and re-issued it in 1676. Another issue with more (?) roads added was advertised in the Term Catalogues for 1688. The map was again advertised for sale by Garrett in 1718. The plates apparently passed to John Rocque, who re-issued the map in 1752 with few changes [as here], but with the erroneous statement that it was Oliver Cromwell who inspired the original publication, and with the addition of a French title on sheet 5. In his catalogue of 1788, Robert Sayer asserts 'The plates having been un-noticed for several years, by the ignorance of the Proprietor, were procured by Mr J. Rocque. in the year 1752.' There was another issue after Rocque's death in 1762, with some re-engraving of the engraved lines and a few more roads added, although Rocque's title and 1752 imprint were retained. It is Richard Gough who, in vol. 1 of his 'British Topography' of 1780 asserts that the map was 'retouched by Jefferys. The plates then passed on to Robert Sayer, for the map is listed in his catalogue of 1788. In 1794 Laurie & Whittle took over Sayer's stock, and the map appears in their catalogue of 1800. But its usefulness cartographically had vanished, since it is advertised in 1813 as "much esteemed by antiquaries" The last mention of the map is in R.H. Laurie's catalogue of 1824, after which it was sold for copper, according to a manuscript note in one of the firm's lists. HG Hollar 550-555; Pennington 652-7. 656 and 657 in Pennington's state iv and vi respectively (see BLMC K.5.49).
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Pilote français

The "Father of Hydrography" - "I am very satisfied with your zeal, your application and your talents, as well as their results" 7 volumes. Large folio (655 by 500mm), 6 engraved titles (of 7), and 395 engraved maps, profiles, and tables, including 115 double-page maps, 14 full page, and numerous profiles (2 to a page), occasional slight damp-spotting, contemporary calf-backed boards, worn. The Dépôt de la Marine, known more formally as the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine, was the central charting institution of France, founded in 1720. The centralization of hydrography in France began in earnest when Jean-Baptiste Colbert became First Minister of France in 1661. Under his watch, the first Royal School of Hydrography began operating, as did the first survey of France's coasts (1670-1689). In 1680, Colbert consolidated various collections of charts and memoirs into a single assemblage, forming the core of sources for what would become the Dépôt. The Dépôt itself began as the central deposit of charts for the French Navy. In 1720, the Navy consolidated its collection with those government materials covering the colonies, creating a single large repository of navigation. By 1737, the Dépôt was creating its own original charts and, from 1750, they participated in scientific expeditions to determine the accurate calculation of longitude. In 1773, the Dépôt received a monopoly over the composition, production, and distribution of navigational materials, solidifying their place as the main producer of geographic knowledge in France. Dépôt-approved charts were distributed to official warehouses in port cities and sold by authorized merchants. The charts were of the highest quality, as many of France's premier mapmakers worked at the Dépôt in the eighteenth century, including Philippe Bauche, Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, Rigobert Bonne, Jean Nicolas Buache, and Charles-François Beautemps-Beaupré. The Dépôt continued to operate until 1886, when it became the Naval Hydrographic Service. In 1971, it changed names again, this time to the Naval and Oceanographic Service (SHOM). Although its name has changed, its purpose is largely the same, to provide high quality cartographic and scientific information to the France's Navy and merchant marine. Charles-François Beautemps-Beaupré (1766-1854) distinguished himself as hydrographer during the search for La Perouse. From 29 September 1791 to 27 October 27 1793, Beautemps-Beaupré set sail on the frigate La Recherche. Led by Antoine Bruny d'Entrecasteaux. The expedition's primary objective was to find Lapérouse by following his route to New Holland (Australia). The expedition took three years, much shorter than it had taken Cook and Lapérouse to travel the same distance (Lapérouse's expeditions were projected to last four years, from 1785 to 1789). However, this would be a more arduous expedition, amplified by the secondary objective of mapping every contour of the continent called, "New Holland," which, in 1824, became known as "Australia." "That will be the final destination of Sieur d'Entrecasteaux's expedition in search of Lapérouse's frigates. However, if these ships have indeed been swallowed by the sea, if the ocean has left no debris on any beaches, if after exhausting every possible avenue Sieur d'Entrecasteaux has no choice but to abandon this goal, as critical as it is, he shall at least have the satisfaction and glory of having made an immeasurable contribution to the perfecting of the field of cartography and the expansion of man's knowledge. Sieur d'Entrecasteaux shall draw precise maps of every coastline and isle he encounters. If these places have already been explored, he shall verify the accuracy of his predecessors' maps and descriptions." (Fleurieu, Mémoire du Roi pour servir d'instruction au sieur d'Entrecasteaux, September 16, 1791). The ships eventually came within reach of Vanikoro (the Salomon Islands), where shipwrecked survivors from La Boussole and L'Astrolabe were still living. D'Entrecasteaux died of scurvy off the coast of Java on July 20, 1793. After spending two years perfecting his art during every day of the voyage, Beautemps-Beaupré became the premier specialist of modern hydrography. In his work he skilfully combined the art of drawing with the precision of science. It was the first time that an expedition employed a full-time hydrographer. By and large, the task of surveying coastlines and sea bottoms had previously been entrusted to naval officers, for whom it was but one of many tasks. D'Entrecasteaux quickly realized the unique chance his expedition had of having such a talented specialist aboard. The more the search for Lapérouse seemed hopeless, the more Beautemps-Beaupré had time to fulfill his scientific and artistic mission. In 25 months, Beautemps-Beaupré drew 32 maps, at a monthly rate vastly greater than any other expedition of his time. Denis Decrès (1761-1820) Minister of the Navy during Napoleon's Hundred Days (from March 20 to June 22, 1815) wrote to Beautemps-Beaupré to say: "I am very satisfied with your zeal, your application and your talents, as well as their results in this important mission that has been bestowed upon you" (from a letter dated August 14, 1806), and later, recalled about his collaborator: "Everyone appreciates the great services M. Beautemps-Beaupré has provided with a zeal, a perseverance and a talent that exceed even his praise. In light of this, nothing that interests him needs recommendation, he deserves only justice. However, I nurtured him for sixteen or eighteen years through steady relations, and have grown very attached to him, and even owe him recognition for the proofs of friendship I have received from him over the years." While engraving the maps from the Voyage de d'Entrecasteaux, Beautemps-Beaupré simultaneously worked on the battle maps for Napoleon's military campaigns. Decrès entrusted the cartographer with highly confidential missions, preferring to bypass local mi
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Geologic Map of the Arabian Peninsula. Compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Arabian American Oil Company under the joint sponsorship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, and the U.S. Department of State.

Black Gold Chromolithograph map. Large and detailed map depicting the geology of the Saudi Arabian Peninsula. The search for oil on the Peninsula started in 1933, when the Saudi Arabian government granted an oil concession to Standard Oil Co. of California (which was later joined by Texaco buying a 50% stake in the concession). Geologists soon followed to start the surface mapping of the area and beyond, achieving by 1937 a broad understanding of the region's geological strata. The first test to yield oil was in Dhahran on 4 March 1938. After a hiatus during WWII, the activity of surveying and test-drilling resumed with reinvigorated effort. Aerial photography was introduced in 1949 and proved an invaluable tool for the surveying. In 1954 the US Geological Survey and Aramco, the Arabian American Oil Company, began work on a series of geological and geographic maps which would incorporate the data collected over the years. The project was sponsored by the US Department of State and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The effort resulted in 1:500,000-scale geologic sheets and a 1:200,000-scale geological map of the Arabian Peninsula, and the base topographical map - the present maps. The geological map delineates the strata of the peninsula, with colour codes in two tables on either sides, and text within the blank regions of Eastern Africa and Iran. A paper to accompany the map and further explain the geology was published in 1966 by the US Geological Survey. Powers, Ramirez, Redmond, Elberg, Geology of the Arabian Peninsula, Sedimentary Geology of Saudi Arabia, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1966.
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[Views of Tangiers]

Views of Tangiers Three etched views, trimmed to neatline. The expanding Portuguese colonial forces had their sights set on the coastal Moroccan city of Tangier throughout the fifteenth century until they finally succeeded in taking it in 1471. It remained in European hands throughout the following centuries, being passed to Spain in the seveteenth century as part of the union of the crowns between the two countries, and then in 1661 it was given to King Charles II as part of the dowry given to him with the Portuguese infanta Catherine of Braganza. The King immediately sent embassies to assess his new land and by January 1662 English Tangier was fully occupied, with Charles declaring it "a jewell of immense value in the royal diadem" even though the departing Portuguese had done their very best to strip the city of everything valuable. A garrison was established in Tangier, which also received a charter making it equal to other English towns. Nonetheless the regiment stationed there was constantly under attack by local mujahideen offended by the Christian presence in their country. An uneasy truce was struck between 1663 and 1664, but was called of when 470 English soldiers were killed in an ambush. A longer-lasting peace treaty was made in 1666, and the English took advantage of the respite to greatly improve the defences first established by the Portuguese. They also planned to build a mole in the harbour much like that in Gibraltar, however incompetence, waste and outright fraud caused costs to swell. Although it eventually extended almost half a kilometre through the waters, the mole was destroyed and the £340,000 spent on its construction was wasted. On one of the missions sent to assess and plan for the development of English Tangier was Wenceslaus Hollar, who travelled to Morocco in 1668. During and after his visit he produced 15 views of the city from different perspectives. Among these, many focus on Tangier Castle, the name given to the Portuguese fortifications, atop which the English flag is flown from 'Peterborough Tower', another familiar name the colonists had given to the buildings they inherited in Tangier. NHG Hollar 2239-2241; Pennington 1199-1201.
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Mer de Chine. Plan de L’ile de Hong-Kong d’après les travaux du Cape Sir Ed. Belcher de la Marine Anglais Corrigés en 1861.

Rare French Edition of Belcher's chart of Hong Kong Lithograph chart, a few small tears to margins, library blindstamp lower right. A French chart of Hong Kong drawn after Captain Sir Edward Belcher's seminal survey of 1841, the first systematic survey of Hong Kong harbour. The present French chart is based on the Admiralty's 1864 edition, which has been updated with the latest surveys carried out between 1857 to 1861. The most striking additions are to the Kowloon Peninsular, where the area is marked as 'Cedee a la Grande Bretagne par le traite de 1860' (ie The Convention of Peking). The latest constructions are marked, including a coal depot to the western coast; signalling the British Navy's increasing dependence on coal to power their fleet. Although the chart is somewhat reduced from Belcher's original, it does cover a slightly wider area, with more of the Chinese coast and surrounding islands marked. The final amendment to Belcher's chart is the use of metres for marking soundings and heights of mountains, rather than the British fathoms and feet. It would appear that the 1865 edition was the only one published by the Depot de la Marine, as we are unable to trace any subsequent or earlier editions housed in institutions. We are only able to trace two institutional examples of the present work: The British Library; and the Berlin State Library.
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Venetia.

Possibly an entirely new view of Venice Etched bird's-eye view of Venice, laid paper without watermark, corners renewed. An apparently unrecorded map of Venice, the capital of a vast empire, a mercantile centre, and a departure point for travellers to the East. Located at the crossroads between East and West, Venice was a destination for foreign merchants and pilgrims. Bertelli's view is stylised, and not directly based on any previous view, being slightly oriented with the north-northeast to the top. It is probably closest in perspective to Benedetto di Bordone's 'Venice' (1528), than Jacopo de' Barbari's (1500). It almost certainly precedes that of Paolo Forlani (1565), and given that Bertelli was one of three prominent Venetian publishers to employ Forlani (the others were Giovanni Francesco Camocio and Bolgnini Zaltieri) during his time in Venice (1560-1574), it is entirely likely that Bertelli's own small map inspired the production of Forlani's much larger and more detailed map, and was then outclassed by it, resulting in its swift redundancy, and current scarcity. Ferrando Bertelli (c1525-1572), is best known as a Venetian publisher of prints, after Titian, Farinati, Giulio Romano, Battista del Moro, and Dürer; and maps. Some he engraved himself, others were engraved for him by Paolo Forlani, Giovanni Francesco Camocio, Mario Cartaro, Sanuto, Cavalieri, and Domenico Zenoi. Karrow records Bertelli as having signed at least one other map, a copy of Giacomo Gastaldi's map 'Li'Isola Cuba e piu Setentrional dela Spagnola', (c1566), as "F.B.", although he usually signed his name in full, and with a flourish, as is evident on the other maps of islands he engraved in about 1566. Provenance: 1. With Helmut Rumbler Kunsthandel, Frankfurt am Main, 2010 Bury, 'The Print in Italy 1550-1625', British Museum, London 2001, page 222; not in Bifalco; not in Karrow
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[Solar Flare]

Flares never go out of style Vintage chromogenic print, numbered S-74-15564 at top left, Skylab 3. A solar flare is localized eruption of electromagnetic radiation in the Sun's atmosphere. They are thought to occur when magnetic energy stored in the Sun's atmosphere accelerates charged particles in the surrounding plasma. This results in the emission of electromagnetic radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, and may be accompanied by coronal mass ejections, solar particle events, and other solar phenomena. Electromagnetic radiation from solar flares is absorbed by the daylight side of Earth's upper atmosphere, in particular the ionosphere, and does not reach the surface. Solar flares were first observed by Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson (independently) on 1 September 1859. Although accurate measurements were not taken at the time, it is suspected that this was the most powerful flare ever observed. Skylab 3 was the second crewed mission to the first American space station, Skylab. The mission began on July 28, 1973, with the launch of NASA astronauts Alan Bean, Owen Garriott, and Jack Lousma in the Apollo command and service module on the Saturn IB rocket, and lasted 59 days, 11 hours and 9 minutes. The mission carried out various medical experiments to investigate the effects of space travel on the human body - these tasks were recognised on the circular crew patch worn by the astronauts representing Leonardo da Vinci's c. 1490 Vitruvian Man (albeit retouched to remove the genitalia!), personifying the mission's medical experiments. The Skylab 3 command module returned to Earth on September 25, 1973, and, in 1977, was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution by NASA. It was subsequently moved to the Great Lakes Science Center in June 2010.