MÜNSTER, Sebastian (1488-1552). Cosmographey. Basel: Heinrich Petri, 1578.

One of the great geographical and illustrated books of the 16th century. Münster was a cartographer, historian, and linguist who combined his expertise to create this tour-de-force work, which “brought all the empires of man into a single meaningful progression…[and] this single thread of history he married to geography, so that each should mirror and illuminate the other” (McLean). Originally published in German in 1544, editions in many other languages followed quickly. BM STC - German 632; Sabin 51392.

Folio (344 x 215mm). Text in German. 26 double-page woodcut maps, plus 58 double-page (some with text) maps and views, including 3 folding, profusely illustrated further with hundreds of single-page maps and illustrations. (Lacking first blank, occasional light mostly marginal dampstains, worming/soiling from quire JJJ to end.) Contemporary German blindstamped pigskin over wooden boards, remnants of catch-plates and clasps (worn, corners showing, worming to lower board).

Caspar ?Dulcken, "Canonicus Neü Münster"
Dominican friars of Wurzburg ("Ex bibliotheca Fratrum praedicatorum Herbipoli")
Maximilian von Lerchenfeld (armorial bookplate)