Ramusio, Giovanni Battista

Delle navigatione et viaggi ... con molti vaghi discorsi ... Venice: Giunti, 1588 (vol. I, "Quarta editione". Vol. II, "in questa nuova editione accresciuto": 1583. Vol. III, "di nuova stampata": 1606)



3 volumes, folio (12 1/8 x 8 1/8 in.; 310 x 203 mm). Vol. I with three double-page (full sheet) engraved maps, a woodcut map of the Nile, 10 other woodcuts, including plans of Ethiopian churches; vol. II with a woodcut; vol. III with 7 double-page woodcut maps on inserted sheets, 2 single-page woodcut maps, and 38 in-text woodcuts of differing sizes depicting native plants, animals, and ethnographic subjects, decorative woodcut initials, printer's mark; dampstain in fore-margin of vol. 1 title and next two leaves with small repair, outer marginal staining in early leaves of vol. III, other scattered minor spotting and browning especially in a few quires of vol. 3, but the paper overall in good condition. Contemporary speckled sheep, gilt spine labels, edges red-sprinkled; joints slightly worn but sound, a few scuff marks and stains.

A. de St-Ferriol (printed label) — Henry Percival Biggar (armorial bookplate) — David Parsons (sale in these rooms 7 December 2007, lot 82)

Sabin 67733 (v. I), 67738 (v. II), 67742 (v. III)

A beautiful set of the major sixteenth-century collection of European voyages, from Marco Polo to the then present, incorporating the Decades of Peter Martyr and adding many further accounts. The contents lists of the three volumes detail 95 distinct narratives brought together. The first volume relates almost entirely to Africa, the second to Asia, and the third to America. This last includes the earliest obtainable map to accurately depict the Americas, and maps of Brazil, Montreal, and New France.

The Venetian humanist-diplomat Ramusio died in 1557. The first editions of his three volumes were 1550 (I), 1559 (II, posthumously because of an accident with his copy), and 1556 (III). The Giunta house supplemented their later editions with added texts, and the present set contains the full set of voyages.

Henry Percival Biggar (1872-1938), chief archivist for Canada in Europe, was the author of several works on the history of New France, Champlain, and Cartier.