Rare Book Monthly

Book Catalogue Reviews - January - 2015 Issue

Fine City Plans and Views from Martayan Lan

Fine City Plans and Views.

Martayan Lan has issued their Catalogue 52 – Fine City Plans and Views. These views and plans cover a wide range of territory. Martayan Lan has broken those down into sections: Large-Scale City Plans, City Atlases, New York City & State, New England, Mid Atlantic United States, South Midwest & West, Canada, Latin America, Asia & Africa, British Isles, Paris, Italy, Low Countries, Poland, Germany/Hungary. Some of these are somewhere in between a view and a map. Looking as if drawn from the top of a nearby tall mountain, they provide a view of the city from which all streets and buildings can be seen, enabling it to be used as a map. Most are quite old, from as early as the 15th century up to the 19th. Here are just a few samples of what is in store.

 

We begin with a View Of The Ruins After The Great Fire In New-York, Decr. 16th and 17th. 1835. It depicts smoldering ruins the day after the worst fire in New York City's history. Believed to have been started by a broken gas pipe and a coal stove, the fire occurred on the coldest night in the city in 35 years, with temperatures in the teens below zero. The nearby East River was frozen over, requiring firefighters to cut holes through the ice to reach water. Even then, hoses froze up and pumps stopped functioning. Seventeen city blocks and almost 700 buildings were destroyed. Most of the city's insurance companies were bankrupted. Fortunately, the area, around today's financial district, was mainly warehouses and businesses rather than residential, so only two people died. The loss was $20 million, which was several times the cost of the Erie Canal, trade from which had made the city's business district prosperous. Continuing trade enabled it to be rebuilt in a relatively short time. This hand-colored view was engraved by William J. Bennett in 1836. Item 8. Priced at $3,850.

 

We move from a look at a city after the conflagration to one from before. Item 22 is a Map Of The City Of Galveston Texas, by E. A. Hensoldt/Galveston Land & Improvement Co. This company promoted an expansion of the city to the west, which is depicted on this plan. The company had been formed by a group of Colorado businessmen who wanted to participate in the growth of what was a very prosperous and growing city. Along with the plan, it lists Galveston's churches, hotels, businesses, cotton presses, schools and colleges, and cultural institutions, including an opera house. What no one could have imagined at the time is that just a decade later, the island city would be overrun by a disastrous hurricane, killing 8,000 people (the worst natural disaster in terms of lost lives in American history), and totally destroying the city as it existed on this map. $9,500.

 

Item 35 is Lundinum, feracissimi Angliae Regni metropolis, by Braun and Hogenberg of Cologne. This 1572 map of London is described as “the first surviving map of the whole of London and Westminster,” though it was surprisingly created in France. It was the first plan to appear in Civitatis Orbis Terrarum, the earliest atlas of city plans and views published. The presence of the spire of St. Paul's indicates it depicts London in the 1550's as the spire was destroyed by a fire in 1561. It likely was based on an earlier map, explaining this oldest surviving coming from France. It depicts London from high across the Thames, four people in period dress standing in the foreground. A single bridge spans the Thames. A paean to the Hanseatic League, an organization of merchants along the northern coast of Europe, is printed in the corner (it may have been responsible for the plan, which would explain its French origin). $10,000.

 

The next map is of La Luisiana, a Spanish map dating from 1762. It actually contains three maps, the major one being of the Louisiana Territory, the second a street map of New Orleans, and the third the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The last one was necessarily speculative since no one had actually discovered the source of the great river at that time. The map, by Spanish cartographer Tomas Lopez y Vargas Machuca, and written in Spanish, evidently reflects Spain's attempt to understand the large territory it had just acquired. France had been routed in the just ending French and Indian War, and its Spanish ally was forced to cede Florida to the victor, Great Britain. As compensation to its ally, France gave the territory to Spain. It would remain there until 1803 when Napoleon, now in control of Spain, took the territory back and sold it to the United States. This map also shows the area west of New Orleans, now known as Texas, appropriately labeled “Tejas.” Item 18. $12,000.

 

Next is Plano General de Mexico... the work of Diego Garcia Conde. Martayan Lan describes this as “the most important early plan of Mexico City and one of the most significant maps of any kind produced in Mexico.” Conde was both a military officer and a mapmaker. He was assigned the task of preparing this map during the brief, enlightened period of Viceroy Conde de Revillagigedo. Begun in 1793, it was not published until 1807. This is a copy of the only printing of the rare large format, nine sheets that when joined together measure approximately 4 ½ x 6 ½ feet. It was later reprinted in a smaller format but the original plates were lost. Conde would later return to his military role, fighting Mexican rebels on behalf of Spain, but after the rebels succeeded, he was one of the few Spanish military leaders to stay on and serve the new nation. Item 4. $85,000.

 

Martayan Lan may be reached at 212-308-0018 or info@martayanlan.com. Their website is www.martayanlan.com.

Rare Book Monthly

  • Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Samuel Augustus Mitchell, A New Map of Texas, Oregon and California with the Regions Adjoining, Philadelphia, 1846. $3,500 to $5,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: 17th–19th-century case maps of various locations. $1,500 to $2,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Andreas Cellarius, Haemisphaerium Stellatum Boreale Cum Subiecto Haemisphaerio Terrestri, celestial chart, Amsterdam, 1708. $2,500 to $3,500.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: Vincenzo Coronelli, Set of engraved gores for Coronelli’s monumental 42-inch terrestrial globe, Venice, circa 1688–97. $18,000 to $22,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer, group of four navigational charts, Antwerp, 1580s. $2,000 to $3,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Thomas Bros, Block Book of Berkeley, Oakland, 1920s. $800 to $1,200.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Nieuhoff & John Ogilby, An Embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces, map of China, plan of Canton, London, 1673. $1,200 to $1,800.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Frederick Sander, Reichenbachia, St. Albans, 1888-1894. $5,000 to $7,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Two early illustrated works on horsemanship and breeding, Nuremberg, early 18th century. $700 to $800.
    Swann
    Maps & Atlases, Natural History & Color Plate Books
    December 7, 2023
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Gould, A Monograph of the Ramphastidae, or Family of Toucans. Supplement to the First Edition, London, 1834; 1855. $40,000 to $60,000.
    Swann, Dec. 7: John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, London, 1808–14. $1,500 to $2,500.
    Swann, Dec. 7: Oakley Hoopes Bailey, Hackensack, New Jersey, Boston, 1896. $800 to $1,200.
  • CHRISTIE’S
    Valuable Books and Manuscripts
    London auction
    13 December
    Find out more
    Christie’s, Explore now
    TREW, Christoph Jacob (1695–1769). Plantae Selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortus curiosorum. [Nuremberg: 1750–1773]. £30,000–40,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    VERBIEST, Ferdinand (1623–88). Liber Organicus Astronomiae Europaeae apud Sinas restituate. [Beijing: Board of Astronomy, 1674]. £250,000–350,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF ALICE & NIKOLAUS HARNONCOURT. Master of Jean Rolin (active 1445–65). Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin and French, [Paris, c.1450–1460]. £120,000–180,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    A SILVER MICROSCOPE. Probably by Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), c.1700. £150,000–250,000
    Christie’s, Explore now
    AN ENGLISH HORARY QUADRANT
    C.1311. £100,000–150,000
  • Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Roberts (David) & Croly (George). The Holy Land, Syria, Idumae, Arabia, Egypt and Nubia. Lond. 1842 - 1843 [-49]. First Edn. €10,000 to €15,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Incunabula: O'Fihily (Maurice). Duns Scotus Joannes: O'Fihely, Maurice Abp… Venice, 20th November 1497. €8,000 to €12,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: An important file of documents with provenance to G.A. Newsom, manager of the Jacob’s Factory in Dublin, occupied by insurgents during Easter Week 1916. €6,000 to €9,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: WILDE (Oscar), 1854-1900, playwright, aesthete and wit. A lock of Wilde’s Hair, presented by his son to the distinguished Irish actor Mícheál MacLiammóir. €6,000 to €8,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Heaney (Seamus). Bog Poems, London, 1975. Special Limited Edition, No. 33 of 150 Copies, Signed by Author. Illus. by Barrie Cooke. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Binding: Burke, Thomas O.P. (de Burgo). Hibernia Dominicana, Sive Historia Provinciae Hiberniae Ordinis Praedicatorum, ... 1762. First Edition. €4,000 to €6,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: COLLINS, Michael. An important TL, 29 July 1922, addressed to GOVERNMENT on ‘suggested Proclamation warning all concerned that troops have orders to shoot prisoners found sniping, ambushing etc.’. €3,000 to €4,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Scott Fitzgerald (F.) The Great Gatsby, New York (Charles Scribner's Sons) 1925, First Edn. €2,000 to €3,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Yeats (W.B.) The Poems of W.B. Yeats, 2 vols. Lond. (MacMillan & Co.) 1949. Limited Edition, No. 46 of 375 Copies Only, Signed by W.B. Yeats. €1,500 to €2,000.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of the Russian Empire, Description in English and French, Lg. folio London (S. Gosnell) 1803. First Edn. €1,000 to €1,500.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Miller (William) Publisher. The Costume of Turkey, Illustrated by a Series of Engravings. Lg. folio Lond.(T. Bensley) 1802. First Edn. €800 to €1,200.
    Fonsie Mealy’s, Dec. 12-13: Mason (Geo. Henry). The Costume of China, Illustrated with Sixty Engravings. Lg. folio London (for W. Miller) 1800. First Edn. €1,400 to €1,800
  • Sotheby’s
    Fine Books and Manuscripts
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane] — Isaac D'Israeli. Jane Austen's copy of Curiosities of Literature. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: [Austen, Jane]. A handsome first edition in boards of the author's debut novel. 70,000 - 100,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Brontë, Charlotte. "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me..." 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Eliot, George. The author's magnum opus. 25,000 - 35,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Whitman, Walt. Manuscript written upon the Death of Lincoln, 1865. 60,000 - 80,000 USD
  • Sotheby’s
    Important Modern Literature from the Library of an American Filmmaker
    8 December 2023
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Kerouac, Jack. Typescript scroll of The Dharma Bums. Typed by Kerouac in Orlando, Florida, 1957, published by Viking in 1958. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. The autograph manuscript of "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." [Key West, finished April 1936]. 300,000 - 500,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Miller, Henry. Typescript of The Last Book, a working title for Tropic of Cancer, written circa 1931–1932. 100,000 - 150,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Ruscha, Ed. Twentysix Gasoline Stations, with a lengthy inscription to Joe Goode. 40,000 - 60,000 USD
    Sotheby’s, Dec. 8: Hemingway, Ernest. in our time, first edition of Hemingway’s second book. 30,000 - 50,000 USD

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