**Originally Listed At $800**

Lorenz (Laurent) Fries (ca. 1485-1532). Published in Geographia of Claudius Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus, after 83-ca. 168 CE), 1541. Four Ptolemaic maps, all woodblocks published in Claudii Ptolemaei Alexandrini Geographicae Enarrationis Libri Octo by Gaspar Trechsel, Lyon, 1541. The maps for Tabula Septima Asiae depicts the region north and east of the Caspian Sea in a trapezoidal projection that was reduced from Martin Waldseemuller's map, along with an illustration of a king in the Caspian Sea. Tabula VIII Asiae depicts Central Asia north of the Himilayas (China and Mongolia) - the lands called Scythia Extra Imaum and Serica by Ptolemy. Tabula Nona Asiae is a woodcut of Pakistan, northwest India, depicting the Ganges, Indus rivers. Finally, Tabula Secunda Asiae presents the lands occupied by the Sarmatians in the 1st and 2nd centuries - today this region includes southeastern Ukraine, Caucasus, and Southern Russia. Size: 16.125" L x 21.125" W (41 cm x 53.7 cm)

According to Barry Lawrence Ruderman, "Lorenz (Laurent) Fries (ca. 1485-1532) was born in Mulhouse, Alsace. He studied medicine, apparently spending time at the universities of Pavia, Piacenza, Montpellier and Vienna. After completing his education, Fries worked as a physician in several places before settling in Strasbourg in about 1519. While in Strasbourg, Fries met the Strasbourg printer and publisher Johann Gruninger, an associate of the St. Die group of scholars formed by, among others, Walter Lud, Matthias Ringmann and Martin Waldseemuller." Interestingly, the text on the versos is by Michael Villanovus, also known as Servetus, who was tried for heresy in 1553 and burned at the stake along with some of his books, including copies of the atlas in which these maps appeared.

Provenance: ex-Neal Auctions, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#167227

All maps have some age wear with toning, stains, minor nicks to peripheries etc. All have pencil written notations dating them to 1541 and inventory labels as shown. Woodcut images and text are still vivid.