Lot 114: Coronelli's elegant two-sheet hemispheric world map

[MAP - WORLD]

CORONELLI, VINCENZO MARIA. Planisfero Del Mondo Vecchio; [and] Planisfero Del Mondo Nuovo. [Venice: circa 1691]. Two hand-colored engraved hemispheric world maps printed on separate sheets, from Coronelli's Atlante Veneto, both framed. The sheets measure 19 1/4 x 27 inches (49 x 70 cm), and the maps measure 17 3/4 x 23 3/4 inches (45 x 60.5 cm) to the neatline. Central folds, a few creases and short edge tears, some damp-staining to margins and at the bottom of the central fold, two small marginal chips and some minor rubbing in the map on the "Mondo Nuovo" sheet, altogether an attractive pair that presents rather well.

An elegantly engraved pair of world maps showing the "New" and the "Old" worlds, or the eastern and western hemispheres. The maps were published by the esteemed Venetian cartographer, globe-maker, and Franciscan monk Vincenzo Coronelli, and were originally included in his world atlas, the Atlante Veneto. The geography of Coronelli's maps follows that of his 1688 terrestrial globe, including California as an island, the Straight of Anian, a huge island called Jesso in the Pacific Ocean near California, the Mississippi on LaSalle's model, Korea as a peninsula (but with a note stating that some think it an island), the incomplete coastline of Australia, and the partial outline of New Zealand. The maps include numerous legends providing information on various voyages and travels, along with other cartographic notes and explanations. Dotted lines in the oceans indicate the tracks of various explorers, and dotted lines on the landmasses represent the political borders of the day. The map's decorative yet somewhat restrained borders contain symbols for constellations, dedications to members of the Marcello family, bands of statistics providing latitudes to the second, and tables containing a variety of other measurements. As per Rodney Shirley, these maps would be "a worthwhile addition to any collection." (Shirley, 548).