ERRATUM: There are 8 cards and not 9 as indicated... Lot 34

ERRATUM: There are 8 cards and not 9 as indicated in the printed catalog. Spine detached due to various manipulations prior to the sale. Classified as a National Treasure. [PORTULAN]. MANUSCRIPT NAUTICAL ATLAS Marseille, Honoré Boyer, 1648. Large folio atlas (570 x 380 cm) of 8 double maps, drawn in carbon ink, painted with gouache and enhanced with gold leaf, on parchment pasted on cardboard. First card slightly split in the center, small discolorations at the corners of the cards. Full contemporary tan basane, smooth spine, Du Seuil style boards, double framing of gilt fillets on the boards with gilt fleurons in the corners, central gilt decoration of a crown and flowers, marbled paper endpapers. Joints widely cracked with missing headpieces and corners, the upper board is almost detached and the spine has large tears, spotting, rubbing on the boards and edges, old ties missing. Precious set of eight nautical charts called Portulan bound in atlas, made in Marseille in 1648 by a certain Honoré Boyer. This volume is the only testimony of the work of this talented cartographer previously unknown. TEXT The atlas was made in 1648 by a cartographer from Marseilles, Honoré Boyer, who was unknown before the volume appeared. Absent from all specialized directories, he appears to have been an amateur cartographer, drawing his sources from Spanish, Portuguese and Italian atlases for the large nautical charts of Europe, the Mediterranean and America, as the toponyms used show. In the 17th century, Marseilles was one of the most important centers for the production of nautical charts. The Boyer de Fonscolombe family, merchants of fabrics, were present near Toulon in the 16th century and in Aix at the same time. These luxurious nautical charts indicate to navigators the different ports, the navigable rivers, the relief of the coasts with here the countries which administer them. Our manuscript contains maps for the Greek archipelago, the Mediterranean, the European west coast and the northern part of West Africa, the Caribbean and the American coasts, the island of Elba, Sicily, Malta, and a world map. They are decorated with the coats of arms of the countries, fleur-de-lys, ships, sea monsters, curiosities, monuments, banners and frames. This richness of ornamentation indicates that our volume was part of the luxury works, made for rich clients and probably had to be consulted on land, in libraries and preserved in collections on land. These instruments, whose production lasted until the 18th century, were only dethroned by the appearance of the great nautical atlases printed in the Netherlands. ICONOGRAPHY List of the eight maps: - Greek Archipelago: note that several islands are entirely gilded; Rhodes and Chios are covered with their flag. - Mediterranean: enriched with two hunting scenes in North Africa (ostrich and boar hunting), a representation of Christ carrying the cross and a Moor in a tent. Coat of arms of Spain, France, Austria and the Ottoman Empire, only one city is represented, probably Marseille: the cavalier view of the port is surmounted by a flag, a white cross on a blue background. - there is also mention of the Bastion de France in North Africa, a concession founded by the Marseillais in the 16th century that richelieu had placed under royal protection. - West side of Europe and Morocco with Newfoundland and Iceland: enriched with a drawing of a camel in Morocco. We notice off the archipelagos of the Azores and Tenerife. - The Caribbean surrounded by the American continent from Canada to the north of Brazil: the cartographer has represented Canada (Nove Franse), Newfoundland, Florida, Mexico (Nove Espana, Mexica), all the Caribbean islands (Cuba, Spaignola, Barbudo, Granada, etc.), Peru to Lima, the Amazon and the north of Brazil. The west coast of the American continent is represented from southern Mexico to Lima. Finally, in the east, part of the west coast of Africa is represented. - Island of Elba: "The plan of the island of Lelbe Porte Ferraire et Plomb. Made by me Honnore Boyer of Marseille, 1648". Portoferraio (Porte Ferraire) and, to a lesser extent, Longone (Porte Lengon) are fairly accurately described with a cavalier view of the city and its fortifications. In this and the following two maps, the interior of the islands is described, with names of localities and representation of reliefs. - Sicily and the east of Calabria: "Le Plan de lille de Sesille e par[tie] de la Calabre. 1648". Very detailed map indicating the toponymy of the whole island, with more precise plans for Messina, Palermo, etc., and