Typus Orbis Universalis

Beautiful example of Sebastian Münster's oval new world map, from the Cosmographia of 1550. Relief is shown pictorially. The map is embellished with fierce sea monsters and a sailing war ship. Surrounding the earth are billowing clouds and numerous wind gods reflecting the wind characteristics. North America retains its unusual shape almost bisected by water. The initials of the woodcutter, David Kandel (DK), can be identified in the lower left-hand corner. His woodcut technique with its insertion of fine lettering is amazingly elegant, almost in the style of the copper engravings of Ortelius, Blaeu, or Hondius.
This important map was published in the 1550-edition of Sebastian Münster’s Cosmographia. This edition is considered to be Münster’s Magnum Opus . Münster presented his world map juxtaposed to the Ptolemaic map of the world, reflecting the older knowledge of the world’s geography. This 1550-Ptolemaic world map is also offered in this auction.
By 1588 a new edition of the Cosmographia had become necessary following the latest explorations and discoveries. All the maps were recut to bring them up to date. The 1588-Ptolemaic map and its equivalent and juxtaposed newest 1588-map of the world are also offered in this auction. So a complete set of the worldmaps from the 1550 and 1588 editions is offered in this auction.