Portolan atlas

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Abstract:

A manuscript atlas comprised of 4 unnumbered portolan charts, possibly by Jaume Olives, a mapmaker from the Majorcas, who settled in Southern Italy and was active around 1557-1566. Olives signed and dated all known examples of his work. 8 ff. (i + 8 + i). Parchment; 220 x 146 mm. (193 x 144 mm). The charts are on fols. 1v-8r; fols. 1r, 2v-3r, 4v-5r, 6v-7r, and 8v are blank. The charts give place names (probably in Catalan) on the landward side of the coastline, and also provide rhumb lines, compass points, and latitudes (only on maps 3-4). Maps in red, brown, gold, and green, with red borders. The names of more significant ports and safe harbors are in red. The binding is a stiffened vellum wrapper of the 16th century, possibly reused from another manuscript. The wrapper had two green silk end ties (one partially preserved) at the fore edge. The front panel of the wrapper has an Italian inscription ("Rolo di Orazio, e Domenico, di Iacopo Antonio Pennetti Appaltatori Generali delle Gabelle e Sigilli di lutte sorte larn[ ] de Macello") and unidentified heraldic arms.

Contents:

fols. 1v-2r, “ASIA,” showing parts of the Ottoman Empire, including Greece and the Greek Isles, Constantinople and Asia Minor, the Levant, and North Africa from the mouth of the Nile to Cyrene
fols. 3v-4r, “AFRICA EUROPA,” showing the western Mediterranean, eastern Spain, the Majorcas, Italy, Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia, the Dalmatian coast, and north Africa
fols. 5v-6r, showing Morocco, Spain, the west coast of France and North Sea coast, British Isles and Ireland, Iceland, and to the south of Iceland two islands, including a double island labeled “Insula de Brazil,” which is also shown on the globe of the German cartographer Martin Behaim (1459-1507), and an unnamed island.
fols. 7v-8r, showing the southwestern coast of the Iberian peninsula from the forty-first parallel (just north of Lisbon) south along the West African coast, from Gibraltar to the trading post of Senegambia (Senegal), as well as the Azores, Cape Verde Islands, and Canary Islands.

Description:

Script: Escritura francesa for place-names on coastlines; escritura redonda for isolated islands.
Decoration: Maps in red, brown, gold, and green, with red borders, similar to the Olomouc atlas, but the latter is far more highly decorated, with images of buildings and banners. The names of more significant ports and safe harbors are in red.

Binding note:

Italy(?), 16th century. Stiffened parchment wrapper (17th century?), with paper lining over which modern parchment endleaves have been pasted. The wrapper might have been reused from another manuscript. The wrapper had two green silk endties (one partially preserved) at the fore-edge.

Provenance:

Kane MS. 57 is of unknown early provenance. Grenville Kane (1854-1943), of Tuxedo Park, N.Y., purchased the manuscript in 1921, according to his dated pencil note of acquisition on fol. i recto. The Kane Collection was acquired by the Princeton University Library from Kane's heirs in February 1946.

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References:

Medieval & Renaissance manuscripts in the Princeton University Library, volume 2, pages 125-126.

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