1 / 4

Description

Magnus, Olaus.

Historia delle Genti et della Natura delle Cose settentrionali. Nuouamente tradotta in lingua Toscana. Opera molto diletteuole per le varie & mirabili cose, molto diuerse dalle nostre, che in essa si leggono. Con una Tavola copiosißima delle cose piu notabili, in quella contenute. Venice, "Appresso i Giunti", 1565. fol. 26 unnum. The last with an engraved map, 286 foliated leaves with 467 woodcuts. With a printer's mark on the title and one on the last leaf. Flexible parchment binding of the period with handwritten spine title. (Various holes and tears, without the old binding clasps; cover creased). BMC Italian Books 404 - First complete Italian edition of Olaus Magnus' (1490-1557) main work; the "Epitome" was also published in Venice in 1561 as an excerpt from the great work. The first Latin edition was published in Rome in 1555. Olaus Magnus, who had left Sweden in 1524 together with his brother Johannes, Archbishop of Uppsala, to escape the emerging reformed faith and had taken exile in Rome, where he lived in St. Bridget's Monastery, had already published his great "Carta Marina", the monumental wall map of the Nordic countries - the fruit of his travels undertaken in 1518/19. The map in this first edition and the "Epitome" were rough woodcut maps. "The work owes its lasting success throughout the sixteenth century to the fact that Olaus Magnus depicted the Northern countries as filled with countless curiosities, strange people and customs, and an abundance of monsters. Magnus fully discusses the countries' history and the various kingdoms as they were in the early 16th century; he describes the people, their customs, manners and dress, their sagas and legendary lore with extensive reference to runes. He writes on Northern battles techniques, and on hunting (there is a very amusing section on bear hunting and bears in general), several chapters deal with whaling, deer hunting etc.. He also comments on the countries' various uncommon industries and crafts, especially on their mineral riches and mining under difficult circumstances. At the end a large section is devoted to detailed description of Scandinavian flora and fauna. Among the many vigourously designed woodcuts is probably the earliest illustration showing people skiing - in a battle scene; sauna baths and other customs typical of Scandinavia to this day are likewise mentionned or illustrated. The fine full-page engraved map. shows the whole Scandinavia including Finland and part of what today is Russian territory, the whole of the Baltic sea, the northernmost parts of Germany including Denmark, the Baltic countries, and parts of Scotland and England. Although rather crudely engraved, it is designed with remarkable accuracy. The woodcuts in this edition are, apart from being the most numerous found in any edition of Magnus' work, unlike any found in the editions published in the Netherlands, and are of quite original design and have great charm, some of the battle-scenes are almost full-page" (E.P.Godschmidt, Cat. 153, 1975, no. 100). Some soiling and fingerstaining throughout. Traces of moisture in the first approx. 50 leaves, mostly in the outer margins and in the lower corner. The last quire loose. Numerous creases and fraying. Book block detached from binding.

Automatically translated by DeepL. The original version is the only legally valid version.
To see the original version, click here.

254 
Go to lot
<
>

Magnus, Olaus.

Estimate 2 600 - 4 000 EUR
Starting price 2 600 EUR

* Not including buyer’s premium.
Please read the conditions of sale for more information.

Sale fees: 27 %
Leave bid
Register

For sale on Wednesday 03 Jul : 10:00 (CEST)
pforzheim, Germany
Kiefer
+49723192320
Browse the catalogue Sales terms Sale info

Delivery to
Change delivery address
Delivery is not mandatory.
You may use the carrier of your choice.
The indicated price does not include the price of the lot or the auction house's fees.