Pars Globis terrestris A° 1492 a Martino Behaim Equite Lusitano Norimbergae confecti

Pars Globi terrestris Ao. 1492. Martino Behaim Equite Lusitano Norimbergae confecti. Delineavit Christoph. Theoph. de Murr. 1778.

This fascinating and unique map, printed in 1787, is a representations of the western hemisphere as it appeared on the oldest surviving globe - Martin Behaim's Erdapfel, a manuscript globe produced in Nuremberg in 1492.

The map was first published in German in Nuremberg in 1778, in the Diplomatische Geschichte des Portugesischen berühmten Ritters Martin Behaims, by Christoph Gotlieb von Murr.

Behaim's globe was influential and fascinating, offering a glimpse on the imagined form of the world at the time of Columbus. Behaim's fame, amplified by supporters over the following centuries, led some to scholars to suppose he himself traveled across the Atlantic to America, or at least that supplied the theory to Columbus that the Atlantic route to the East Indies was navigable. The present map, copied from the western hemisphere of Behaim's globe by the historian Christoph Gottlieb von Murr, was produced as evidence that Behaim had neither stolen a march on Columbus, nor guided him. Having marshaled his evidence, von Murr says that 'history, and the globe destroy absolutely all these so - called facts, and prove (Behaim) had no knowledge of America.'

The western hemisphere, as conceived on Behaim's globe, extends from Madeira and Grand Canary Island to China and Java. Much is imaginary, or at best legendary. For example, the islands known as the Manilas were described as having such extreme magnetism that ships carrying iron could not safely navigate there. In the far north there appears an island noted as a source of white falcons: this island would be correctly identified on other, later maps as Iceland. The Azores, Cape Verdes, and Canary Islands appear with some accuracy. The central portion of the map features the imaginary islands of Antilia and St. Brendan. The western half of the map is dominated with the geographical reports of Marco Polo. The island of Japan (or Cipangu) is here presented as the wealthiest island of the Orient. Elsewhere are placed nutmeg forests, pepper forests, and Marco Polo's reports of mermaids. Turning his critical eye to these details, von Murr said of Behaim that 'he only passes on the stories that have been made to him, and which he is content to transcribe.'

Christoph Gottlieb von Murr (August 6, 1733 – April 8, 1811) was German polymath and scholar, living and working in Nuremberg. A historian and magistrate, he was prolific in print, appearing in many journals during his life. His writings extended to natural science, art history, and on the history of early libraries and books, both manuscripts and incunables. He was a vigorous correspondent and maintained a large library of his own. His early life is not known; he studied at was for the law, on its completion he instead began work as a historian. Many of his published works focused on the history of his native city, as well as its literature and art.

Copperplate, printed on contemporary laid paper, with margins, very good condition.