Description
PUBLICATION DETAILS: Published in 1590 by Theodore de Bry in Frankfurt, Germany. Printed by Johann Bechel. First edition. Map is State 3 of 3.
RARITY: : First German edition of Theodore de Bry’s Part I (Virginia) of his Grand Voyages which covered the fledgling Americas. The rare first German edition with numbered copper plates having text below, related to the Indians of North Carolina.
No complete German first edition of Part I of the Grand Voyages has appeared on the American market for at least two decade, except one other which sold immediately.
“This First Edition in German [of Part I] is so rare that Camus says he had never seen it” (Church, p.409 quoting Camus Memoire, p.17).
“Nothing is more rare than the first editions of these four parts [Parts I. -IV. in German], Bibliotheca Grenvilliana, I: 89.” (Church, p. 429). In another statement of its rarity,
“I refer Hariot’s Virginia Part I, Grands voyages, of which only three copies are known” (Crawford, Collations p.3)
To bring this up to date, there are 25 entries on the ABE Book site for de Bry’s Grand Voyages America series; only one (outs) e is the German 1st edition, Part I. It is not to be found in the Rare Book Hub register or on the internet.
NOTE: The major components of Part I are listed below. Missing elements are identified.
MISSING THE ENGRAVED TITLE PAGE: “Wunderbarliche, doch warhafnewlichftige Erklärung, von der Gelegenheit vnd Sitten der Wilden in Virginia…”
INTRODUCTION PAGE: “Warhafftige Contrafacturen Und Sebrauch der Innnivohner der jentgen Landschafft in America welche Virginia…. Theodorum de Bry.” In the English edition this reads “The true pictures and fashions of the people in that part of America now called Virginia ….Theodore de Bry ….”
MISSING THE DEDICATION.
RARE MAP OF VIRGINIA: Americae pars, Nunc Virginia dicta primum ab Anglis inventa sumtibus Dn Walteri Raleigh Equestris ordinis Viri Anno Dni.M.D LXXXV … At left border: Autore Ioanne With Sculptore Theodoro de Bry, Qui et excud. Burden 76. The RARE THIRD STATE with the correct engraved “C” which is superimposed over faint images of the middle bar and the upper and lower extensions to the left of the original letter E. State 2 has a very dark letter C superimposed over the very dark letter E. The “C: over “E” was not completely hammered out and burnished before the new letter “C” was added. See this error shown on the enlarged view of the map above. State 3 has been observed on one other map and compared to a State 2 to confirm the difference. The buyer will be provided the background material.
TABLE OF CONTENTS: “Register.” Table of the 23 copper plates showing the map as I. Some writers erroneously call the Adam and Eve engraving Plate I.
ADAM & EVE. Un-numbered full-page plate showing Adam standing, looking up, as Eve reaches for an apple from the tree of knowledge. No title or text is provided. FIRST STATE with the inscription “Iodocus a Winghe “in” / Theodore de Bry “fe” at the bottom. This is State 1 o 3.See Vavra for more on the States of the plate.
MISSING TEXT. Lacks the text by Thomas Hariot, which he published in 1588.
NUMBERED ENGRAVINGS. Copper engravings numbered with Ronan numerals II through XXIII, except plates XIII, XVII. XVIII. XIX, XX, and XXII are full-page and numbered in image with Arabic numerals only. Most are based on John White’s watercolors from his time with the Roanoke Colony.
THE PICTS. Etliche contrafeyt der Volcker, genannt Picten, die vorzeiten einen Kreyss in engellandt jnngehabt haben. Known as ‘Picti’ by the Romans, meaning ‘Painted Ones’ in Latin, the Picts lived in upper Scotland during the late ancient and early medieval periods up to about year 1000.The British Library indicates these engravings are after watercolors by Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues.
COLOPHON: Gedruckt zu Franckfurt am Mayn bey Johann Bechel in verlegung Theodori de Bry. MDXC.
CONDITION: FIRST EDITION THROUGHOUT. Numbered engravings correlate fully with Church first German edition (No. 176). This volume does not have the ornate title page, the dedication or the text by Thomas Hariot. Recently conserved by reputable North Carolina firm. New full calf binding. A few pages have paper repairs, and fold-outs were lined with Japanese paper. A few small stains. Very good condition.
PREVIEW. For a detailed analysis of Part I and its images see Vavra, below.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Burden, Philip D. The Mapping of North America. Rickmansworth: Raleigh Publications, 1996;
Church, Elihu Dwight. A Catalogue of Books Relating to the discovery of North and South America. New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1907. [Number 176]
Vavra, Luke A. Exploration and Colonization of the New World 1492-1619: An Analysis of the German Editions [of] Theodore de Bry’s Part I (Virginia) 1590 and Part IV (Caribbean) 1594 of the Grand Voyages. 98 pages. Self- published, 2023. [Available on this site. Free copy with purchase of this book.]
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