Books

First edition, number 182 of 980 copies, of this elaborate and faithful facsimile of a famous and eminently important book: Christopher Columbus' heavily annotated copy of Pius II's Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum. Considered one of the first modern cosmographies, the Historia includes a complete description of Asia and the Far East and sought to synthesize traditional geographical learning with more recent knowledge. The information on Asia is supplemented with material from Marco Polo and the then-unpublished accounts of Oderic of Pordenone, a Franciscan friar who visited Western India, South-East Asia, and China in the early 1300s, and Nicolò de' Conti, a Venetian who wandered over South Asia for a quarter of a century or more before returning to Italy in the company of Near Eastern delegates in the summer of 1441. After the Imago Mundi of Pierre d'Ailly, Pius II's work is the most heavily annotated book in Columbus' surviving library. Columbus' annotations in his copy of this book, reproduced here in detailed facsimile, "are overwhelmingly concerned in one form or another with the riches and diversity of the Orient... The specific topics in the book which most engaged Columbus's attention were the navigability of all oceans, the habitability of all climes, and the question of the existence of the Antipodes... Pius II demonstrated an implicit belief... in a navigable route between Asia and Europe via the Atlantic. Columbus noted, for instance, his story of First edition, number 182 of 980 copies, of this elaborate and faithful facsimile of a famous and eminently important book: Christopher Columbus' heavily annotated copy of Pius II's Historia Rerum Ubique Gestarum. Considered one of the first modern cosmographies, the Historia includes a complete description of Asia and the Far East and sought to synthesize traditional geographical learning with more recent knowledge. The information on Asia is supplemented with material from Marco Polo and the then-unpublished accounts of Oderic of Pordenone, a Franciscan friar who visited Western India, South-East Asia, and China in the early 1300s, and Nicolò de' Conti, a Venetian who wandered over South Asia for a quarter of a century or more before returning to Italy in the company of Near Eastern delegates in the summer of 1441. After the Imago Mundi of Pierre d'Ailly, Pius II's work is the most heavily annotated book in Columbus' surviving library. Columbus' annotations in his copy of this book, reproduced here in detailed facsimile, "are overwhelmingly concerned in one form or another with the riches and diversity of the Orient... The specific topics in the book which most engaged Columbus's attention were the navigability of all oceans, the habitability of all climes, and the question of the existence of the Antipodes... Pius II demonstrated an implicit belief... in a navigable route between Asia and Europe via the Atlantic. Columbus noted, for instance, his story of Indian merchants reportedly come ashore in Germany in the twelfth century. The humanist Pope had a habit of juxtaposing textual with empirical evidence - of using, that is, the practical results of reported navigations... to confirm or disprove the assertions of received wisdom... Pius II can be said to have encouraged [Columbus] to see geography as an exciting terrain of new discovery, in which few parts of the received picture were beyond cavil and a whole world was, as it were, up for challenge" (Fernández-Armesto, pp. 40-1). This facsimile of Columbus' copy was produced in celebration of the 500th anniversary of his first voyage. In addition to the text itself, which is reproduced down to the patterns of tanning and paper flaws, also present are two supplementary works in Spanish produced for this edition. One of these is a critical historical analysis of the work and its impact on Columbus, written by Juan Perez de Tudela. The other is a full translation of the work into modern Spanish accomplished by Antonio Ramirez de Verger, including Colombus' annotations. Despite the lasting influence of the book, this was only the second translation into modern Spanish. A faithful recreation of one of the most important books in Columbus' library. READ MORE Small folio. Original elaborately blindstamped Cordovan leather, brass brads, gold-plated tacks, spine gilt with raised bands. With two commentary vols, original printed wrappers and dust jackets. All housed in the original grey velvet case. Elaborately blindstamped Cordovan leather, brass brads, gold-plated tacks, spine gilt with raised bands. Commentary volumes: Original printed wrappers, printed paper dust jackets. Dust jackets slightly worn, a bit of dust soiling. Overall in fine condition. In original grey velvet case. Felipe Fernández-Armesto, Columbus, 1991.

Historia rerum ubique gestarum is a historical work by Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini, known later in life as Pope Pius II. Published in 1477, this comprehensive account details various historical events and occurrences from around the world.