171. Mercator, Gerard: Ultoniae Orientalis. Pars

Amsterdam, 1613.
A contemporary-coloured, copper-engraved map of northeastern Ireland by Gerard Mercator, depicting the area from the vicinity of Belfast and Lough Neagh to the northern outskirts of Dublin, with detailed toponymy indicating settlements, rivers, and lakes. The rich detail of the composition and the elegant cartouche reflect the high standard of contemporary cartography: the relief is shown by characteristic mountain profiles, forested areas by stylised tree symbols, while the sea is filled with the fine hatching characteristic of Mercator. The map’s notable accuracy suggests that the cartographer relied on up-to-date, survey-based sources in its compilation. The map is one of the earliest detailed atlas depictions of Ulster, which long defined the cartographic image of the region.
Dimensions: 350 × 380 (470 × 585) mm. Verso reinforced with Japanese paper; with damage to the right margin of the map and several larger stains in the area of the Irish Sea. Framed.
van der Krogt I.: 5941:1.1.
 
Starting price: 80 000 Ft