Description
Geography.- Mela (Pomponius) Cosmographia, sive De situ orbis, collation: a-f8, 48ff., 26 lines and side-notes, Gothic type, headings printed in red on a1r, c1v and e2v, woodcut white on black ground decorative initials, very small hole to a1, not affecting text, water-stained, foxed, lightly browned, modern binding using old vellum, small 4to (186 x 140mm.), Venice, Franciscus Renner, de Heilbronn, 1478.
⁂ Fourth edition of the earliest extant geography in Latin. Mela's knowledge of the positions of Britain, Ireland, and the coasts of Gaul and northern Germany were superior to that of Strabo. He was the first to mention the Orkney Islands. This edition is 'a very close reprint, in great part letter-for-letter, of Maler and Ratdolt's edition of 1478' (BMC).
Literature: BMC V 195; Goff M-450; HC 11017*; GW M34879; Bod-inc M-178; BSB-Ink P-686; ISTC im00450000.
Lot 239
Geography.- Mela (Pomponius) Cosmographia, sive De situ orbis, Venice, Franciscus Renner de Heilbronn, 1478.
Estimate: £8,000 - 12,000
Description
Geography.- Mela (Pomponius) Cosmographia, sive De situ orbis, collation: a-f8, 48ff., 26 lines and side-notes, Gothic type, headings printed in red on a1r, c1v and e2v, woodcut white on black ground decorative initials, very small hole to a1, not affecting text, water-stained, foxed, lightly browned, modern binding using old vellum, small 4to (186 x 140mm.), Venice, Franciscus Renner, de Heilbronn, 1478.
⁂ Fourth edition of the earliest extant geography in Latin. Mela's knowledge of the positions of Britain, Ireland, and the coasts of Gaul and northern Germany were superior to that of Strabo. He was the first to mention the Orkney Islands. This edition is 'a very close reprint, in great part letter-for-letter, of Maler and Ratdolt's edition of 1478' (BMC).
Literature: BMC V 195; Goff M-450; HC 11017*; GW M34879; Bod-inc M-178; BSB-Ink P-686; ISTC im00450000.