Books

"THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THE TOTAL DOMINANCE OF DUTCH SEA ATLAS PRODUCTION. . . ARGUABLY THE MOST SUMPTUOUS EVER PRODUCED." Florence: Francesco Onofri, 1646. First edition of the first four books. Folio (12 15/16" x 9 1/8", 327mm x 233mm). [Full collation available.] With 5 letterpress plates (4 printed recto-verso) and 82 (of 84) engraved plates. [Full plate count available.] Bound in contemporary stabbed limp vellum. On the spine, title in ink manuscript: "DEL/ L' ARCANO/ Del MARE". All edges of the text-block speckled red. Vellum cockled, and a little shrunken at the fore. Split at the upper back fore-corner. Front end-paper splitting, revealing the vellum spine-wrap. Lacking (collated against the Nordenskiöld copy) book I pl. 12 (a volvelle), the 5 letterpress "Effemeridi" to be inserted between pp. 26 and 27, the index (pointer) to book II pl. 2, the half-title and title leaves of the second volume (viz. books III-IV), book III pl. 9 (a cross-section of the second ship) and the second leaf of corrections. Rear end-papers and final 2 leaves wormed. Signs of damp at the spine to the end-papers, quire [pi] (with some old reinforcements) and the first plate (patent of nobility). Foxing to quires A-B. Stub tears or fold tears to a handful of plates, though those to the plate opposite pp. 10 and 53 are more substantial, the former affecting the image. Sanguine crayon underlining, marginalia and manicules throughout, and ink marginalia (mostly corrections) to 20 pages. Ink marginalia to nearly all the plates, mostly renumbering, with graphite numbering to the verso of the plates. Ink ownership inscription in an early hand to the title-page: "Es de la libreria reel colegio mayor de Cuenca". Exceptionally sharp impressions of the plates, with all volvelles and strings intact. Sir Robert Dudley (1574-1649) was the illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and favorite of Elizabeth I, by Douglas, Lady Sheffield. After the death of Leicester's only legitimate son (also called Robert, known as Baron Denbigh) at the age of 3, a campaign of legitimization began that allowed him to inherit great sums (and the castle of Kenilworth), financing his career as an explorer. In 1594 he set off for the West Indies (to the displeasure of Elizabeth) and had mixed success in harassing the Spanish, though it did provide a good deal of cartographic and navigational experience. Between his own experience as both an explorer and a soldier, as well as the access to cartographic sources afforded by his nobility (the first plate is a facsimile of the patent of nobility granted by Ferdinando II, recognizing him as Earl of Leicester and of Warwick), he was well placed to revolutionize knowledge of seafaring. At the age of 72, Dudley published the first four books of a projected six, covering the principals of navigation, the principals of cartography (with 15 general maps of the world), the principals of maritime discipline and naval warfare, and the principals of the construction of ships and of naval fortifications. Two years later (the title-pages bear 1647 but the colophons indicate publication in 1648), the fifth and six books came out -- in a different format -- but the work as of 1646 is complete in the present volume. The Arcano represents a number of firsts: the first sea-atlas compiled by an Englishman, the first atlas with all charts uniformly on the Mercator projection, the first to show harbor winds and currents, the first to give magnetic declination. The third chart (Burden 266) contains the first printed sea chart of the West coast of North America. The Colegio Mayor de Cuenca, founded in Salamanca in 1510, is one of the six "classical" Spanish colleges, and among the oldest. Acquired at the sale of Robert Harbison Power (1926-1991), Christie's New York 8 November 1996, lot 71. Burden, North America 266 & 267; Nordenskiöld I:70; Phillips, Library of Congress 458.

"Arcano del Mare" by Sir Robert Dudley is a groundbreaking work in maritime science and navigation, published in the 17th century. Sir Robert Dudley, an English explorer, navigator, and mathematician, sought to compile an exhaustive resource on navigation, shipbuilding, and the science of the seas. First published in Florence in 1645-1646, "Arcano del Mare" is notable for several reasons. It was the first sea atlas to cover the entire world, providing detailed charts and information that were invaluable to navigators and sailors. Dudley's work included not just maps but also detailed descriptions of the winds, tides, and currents of the world's oceans. Dudley introduced several innovations in mapmaking, including the first use of Mercator projection in maritime charts. This projection became a standard in nautical cartography because it represented lines of constant compass bearing as straight lines, simplifying navigation. The atlas contained a wealth of information on shipbuilding and naval warfare tactics, making it a comprehensive manual for naval engineering of the time. Dudley's work also discussed the design and construction of ships, offering insights into 17th-century naval architecture. Dudley approached the task with a scientific rigor, incorporating the latest mathematical and astronomical knowledge into his work. "Arcano del Mare" reflects the early modern fascination with applying scientific methods to practical problems, such as navigation and exploration. The atlas is also renowned for its artistic beauty, with elaborate and detailed engravings. These illustrations not only served a practical purpose but also elevated the atlas to a work of art. "Arcano del Mare" was a monumental effort that required a vast amount of information to be gathered, synthesized, and presented in a coherent and usable form. Dudley's work had a significant impact on navigation and maritime science, influencing the development of nautical cartography and naval engineering for centuries. Despite its importance, the atlas was not widely distributed, making existing copies rare and highly valued by collectors and historians.