founder of
Detanza Limited, Importers of Fine Statuary,
Detanza Ltd. - 622 13th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
3 vellum maps- framed. inside wooden shipping crate. Fourth frame missing map.
Purchased duiring estate sale of Richard Detanza, (pictured)
founder of
Detanza Limited, Importers of Fine Statuary,
Detanza Ltd. - 622 13th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
3 vellum maps- framed. inside wooden shipping crate. Fourth frame missing map.
index cards found with framed maps, unknown scholar's research. cards are faded brown most likely from the 1930s. the blue lines across them are nearly gone.
CARD 1
Valos Sirpanti
lived in Venice from 1429-1500. Trained at Prince Henry the Navigator's (Infante Dom Henrique) cartography school "the Sacred Promontory by Marinus and Ptolomy" Sagre, Portugal 1450-1461. Maps in his possession included three based on drawings of Cape Good Hope 'Santa Lucia' shipwreck survivor Sanchetti Piazzi (1467), and two that indicate a pre 1420 European visit to Nova Scotia.
(Infante Dom Henrique's greatest contribution was design of the caravel which vastly improved the royal family's ability to trade in the Indies)
CARD 2
Adolfus Giaconatto
lived next door to Sirpanti 1480-1500. Catalogued maps found in Sirpanti's bedroom after Sirpanti was found dead, face down in a stack of manuscripts sitting on the front steps of Giaconatto's home.
CARD 3
Vincenzo Manutius
prepared vellum for Sirpanti's maps. sold inks and caligraphy tools, renowned at the time for creating perfectly flat vellum surfaces. used hair side of skin. Vellum use was fading as paper became more common. Cousin of Aldus Manutius, inventor of what is now known as italic text.
CARD 4
Mazani Magrinni
directed restoration of collapsing aqueduct in Sprago, Italy. Hired to rebuild structures outside of Granada, Spain. Brother-in-Law of Sirpanti. Traveled with Cristoforo Colombo to Spain for legendary meeting with Isabella/Ferdinand.
The following text was included on a typed sheet of paper in a mailing envelope taped on the inside of the lid of the crates holding the maps.
BARRINGTON, Daines; Miscellanies. London, J. Nichols, 1781, First Edition, 4to; iv, viii, 540, 547-557, [i]pp, 2 engraved plates, 2 engraved maps (1 fldg), tables, rebound in cloth, tp wear and repaired, with faint libr stamp on title page but no other markings, a few leaves with old marginal notes, overall crisp clean copy; from the polar collection of Andrew Taylor, O. C., with his bookplate..
Howes B-177, Lad-Mocarski 34, Streeter 2445. Hill p13. Cox ii, p25: "The last section, occupying 90 pages, is especially valuable, as it contains the 'Journal of a Voyage in 1775, to explore the coast of America, northward of California. . .'. This comprises Maurelle's diary which he claimed served as the only record for later navigators." Hill adds that, "this is the only contemporary source in English of this important voyage fitted out by the Viceroy of Mexico to explore the northwest coast of America. . . His account was used by Captain James Cook on his third voyage." The book also contains Barrington's celebrated 'Tracts on the Possibility of approaching the North Pole', which caused the Royal Society to apply to the Admiralty for an Arctic expedition. Phipps was sent and reached the farthest north at that time. Hill notes that the "whole comprises a compilation of extraordinary value for the geography of the northern regions". This interesting collection also contains several natural history essays, including one on the Linnaean System, an early description and speculation on bird migration, an engraved portrait of Mozart at an early age with a description, etc. The maps include one of NW coast of America and of Europe. Quite scarce. This is the only contemporary source in English of the important voyage to the Northwest Coast, which Barrington translated from a copy of the Spanish manuscript. bookID # 18