WALDSEEMULLER, Martin

Tabula Nova Hibernie Anglie et Scotie

      Strassburg: , 1513. 360 x 510 mm., with some slight restoration to the centrefold as usual, some splits repaired and two small wormholes repaired, one in the image, one in the upper margin, otherwise a good example on sound paper. The FIRST TRULY MODERN MAP OF THE BRITISH ISLES. This is only the sixth printed map of the British Isles according to Shirley's study. However it is pre-dated only by the Ptolemaic maps of Bologna 1477, Rome 1478, Florence 1482, Ulm 1482 and Venice 1511. Although published in an edition of Ptolemy's "Geographia" this is in fact the first modern map of the British Isles, i.e not depending on ancient Ptolemaic geography. The map by Bernadus Sylvanus published in the Venice edition of 1511 did introduce more modern cartography but incorporated it into Ptolomaic geography. Martin Waldseemuller was the first to break entirely with the older work and construct a map of the British Isles from entirely contemporary sources. An interesting comparison is made between the two versions in the same atlas, the Ptolomaic one extends from 52 to 63 degrees north whereas the modern map more accurately records 47 to 59 degrees.Waldseemuller was the geographer behind one of the early schools to study cartography, that at St. Die outside Strassburg. He was the author of the wall map of 1507 which named America for the first time. In that same year it is believed he completed the maps for an edition of Ptolemy's 'Geography'. It was not until 1513 though that it was published. Printed from a wood block by Joannes Schott it includes in the borders graduations of latitude and for the first time a scale of miles (Italian) lower right. Waldseemuller had no printed sources to draw upon so relied on contemporary manuscript portolans which were hard to obtain. With our easier access to surviving portolans we can see similar cartography was being used in the early fifteenth century. Waldseemuller has corrected the slanting Scotland and Cornwall, and has added many new towns, most notably along the southern and eastern coasts of England and Ireland - areas well known to European sailors and merchants. Shirley deciphers many of the place names along the south coast such as Dobla (Dover), Portamua (Portsmouth), Antona (Southampton), Artamua (Dartmouth) and Premua (Plymouth). London is clearly recognisable and Eristo (Bristol). The coastlines of southern England and Wales can be understood but further north becomes harder to decipher. A curious mountain range appears to divide England from Scotland with an indication of their fortification. Extensive names occur on the east and southern coasts of Ireland indicating extensive links with that island too. A noteworthy feature is the fictitious island of Brazil off of the west coast of Ireland. Karrow, R.W. (16 c.) 80/34; Moreland & Bannister p. 193; Nordenskiold 205; Pastoureau Ptolemee A no. 31; Shirley BL T.Ptol-6a; Shirley BI no. 11 pl. 8.