Important Maps and Related Items from Daniel Crouch Rare Books
- by Michael Stillman
Martin Waldseemuller's world map with a primitive rendition of America.
Item 1 is a collection of nine versions of one of the odder of maps, the “Leo Belgicus” maps of the Low Countries, Holland and Belgium today. It includes the first of the Leo maps, that of Michael von Aitzing from 1583. This one inspired the others. The Low Countries are depicted in the shape of a lion, which took a fair amount of imagination. The ocean fits neatly along the lion's back, but fitting the land into the head and paws required a fair amount of creativity. The map was created while the land was revolting against Spain, which controlled Holland at the time. Aitzing is careful to avoid any signs of partiality in the conflict, saying it is truthful and verified by all on both sides. The lion shape is merely to make the map easier to understand. However, the map may have conveyed to some the idea of a strong local population fighting to free itself from foreign domination. The remaining eight maps depict the lion in somewhat differing poses, and range as late as 1672, though Leo maps continued to be produced for many more years. £350,000 (US $530,475).
Item 16 is the first English atlas, that is, the first produced by an Englishman in England. John Speed first published his TheTheatreoftheEmpireinGreatBritaine in 1611. This edition was published in 1676, as the era of the great Dutch atlases was coming to a close. It includes several new maps, including four of the Americas. This copy has an unusual feature - red ruled lines have been added around each map and in parts of the text. This was considered an extra touch of beauty in 17th century England. Samuel Pepys, in his diary, mentions red-ruling one of his maps, making it “very handsome.” The practice does not appear to have expanded beyond the time and place of 17th century England. £110,000 (US $166,615).
ALDE, Apr. 8: GUEVARA (ANTONIO DE). Histoire de Marc-Aurèle, Empereur Romain, vray miroir et horloge des Princes. Paris, Pierre et Galliot du Pré, frères, 1565. €3,000 to €4,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: HEURES DE LA VIERGE. Horæ in laudem beatissimæ virginis Mariæ ad usum Romanum. Paris, Charles L'Angelier, 1556. €4,000 to €5,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: MONTAIGNE (MICHEL DE). Les Essais. Édition nouvelle, trouvée après le deceds de l'autheur… Paris, Abel L'Angelier, 1595. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [ROJAS (FERNANDO DE)]. Celestina, tragicomedia di Calisto et Melibea, tradotta de lingua castigliana in italiano idioma… Venise, 1531. €2,000 to €3,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CAMÕES (LUÍS DE). Os Lusiadas. Lisbonne, Pedro Crasbeeck, 1613. €2,000 to €3,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Bruxelles, Roger Velpius & Huberto Antonio, 1611. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: LA FONTAINE (JEAN DE). Fables choisies, mises en vers. Paris, Denys Thierry et Claude Barbin, 1678-1694. €6,000 to €8,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: CERVANTES (MIGUEL DE). El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha. Madrid, Joaquin Ibarra, 1780. €3,000 to €4,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: DIDEROT (DENIS) ET JEAN LE ROND D'ALEMBERT. Encyclopédie, ou dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers. Paris, 1751-1765. €15,000 to €20,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. LAMARTINE (Alphonse de). Les Laboureurs. Poème tiré de Jocelyn… Lyon, J. A. Henry, 1883. €8,000 to €10,000.
ALDE, Apr. 8: [LIVRE TISSÉ]. Livre de prières tissé d'après les enluminures des manuscrits du XIVe au XVIe siècle. Lyon, [A. Roux], 1886. €5,000 to €6,000.
Sotheby’s Books, Manuscripts & Objects from Three Important Collections Open for Bidding 2-17 April
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: [Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun]. Le Roman de la Rose, [Geneva or Lyons, c.1481], first printed edition of the most important medieval French vernacular poem. £200,000 to £300,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Castiglione. Il libro del cortegiano. [Venice], April 1528, first edition, in a magnificent binding by Jean Picard for Jean Grolier. £100,000 to £150,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Jacobus de Cessolis. Schachzabelbuch, Strasbourg, 1483, von der Lasa copy. £50,000 to £70,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: World Championship, 1972. A collection of 84 press photographs of the famed match between Spassky and Fischer. £2,000 to £3,000.
Sotheby’s, Apr. 2-17: Ben Franklin. Autograph letter signed, to Lord Shelburne, British Prime Minister, during peace negotiations, November 1782. £15,000 to £20,000.
