Hamburg, November 2, 2020 (kk) – The borders of Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer‘s important sea atlas in folio format are adorned with sea monsters and wind roses, but it is the large-size sea maps that make this work a true milestone in Western European cartography. An extremely rare Latin copy in splendid coloring will be called up with an estimate of € 180,000 in the Rare Books Auction at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg on November 30.

The Dutch first edition of both parts of Lucas Janszoon Waghenear's "Spieghel der Zeevaerdt" was released in 1584 and in 1585. The masterpiece of nautical cartography became so popular that it was published in Latin, French, English and German within just a few years. Waghenaer, an experienced seafarer himself, had originally conceived his atlas as a navigation handbook comprising the entire European nautical knowledge of his days. What was so innovative about his work was the fact that it featured clearly laid out sea maps in folio format which depicted both the coastlines and the respective coastal profiles. With its detailed maps the sea atlas became the leading model for atlases and handbooks over the following decades and also marked the beginning of the golden age of Dutch marine cartography.

BIBLICAL: The extremely rare 12th century Latin bible manuscript an important contemporary document, as the unusual hand-size format of the Biblia Latina makes it a rare forerunner of French 13th century pocket bibles. The elegant document of the transition from Latin to Gothic script with elaborate initials in typical 12th century manner was most likely made at a Cistercian monastery and was presumably used for reading out. Both this aspect and the moderate estimate of € 20,000 should make for quite some popularity with collectors and book lovers.

COSMOPOLITAN: With "Purchas his pilgrimes" by Samuel Purchas, the presumably most comprehensive collection of travelogues ever published will be called up. The complete copy of this monumental work from 1625-26 also features the important maps of Virginia, North America and Canada. It is estimated at € 50,000.

DOCUMENTARY: Lyonel Feininger's autographed letter with six original woodcuts to his friend and fellow artist Peter Röhl, priced at € 25,000, is a one-of-a-kind contemporary document. Apart from personal compliments, Feininger also describes the impact the political situation has on the BAUHAUS in Weimar.

PORTUGUESE: The same price has been tagged to a Magnificent Manuscript from 1665. The "Livro dos prestimonios, ..." is richly adorned with a great variety of ornaments and motifs and lists all church and civic institutions under the rule of Peter II of Portugal.

SEMINAL: The "Distinctiones sacrae scripturae"" by Mauritius Hibernicus is estimated at € 20,000. The Latin manuscript from around 1300 features explanations of biblical terms in alphabetical order from the Franciscan monk and used to be an important handbook for medieval preachers. The fine and well-preserved manuscript in Gothic textualis contains numerous red and blue Lombardic capitals.

DEVOTIONAL: A magnificently illuminated manuscript from the studio of Robert Boyvin, the most prolific and most remarkable representative of the Rouen School, is also available for the same estimate. The Latin and French Book of Hours, an early work by the successful Norman miniature painter, was made around 1490.

EX-LIBRIS: "Antiquitatum Judaicarum" by Flavius Josephus, made in 1548 and estimated at € 10,000, comes from the possession of Johannes Agricola, Luther's former secretary and right hand, as well as co-creator of the Augsburg Confession. The copy is nearly consistently inscribed with annotations by Agricola's hand.

TRANSFORMING: The rare Latin manuscript of the "Metamorphoses" by Publius Ovidius Naso in an elegant Gothic-humanistic manuscript with decorative initials in colors was made in 1462 and features end-to-end interlinear glosses, which served the 15th century reader as an aid for reading aloud. It is estimated at € 10,000.

MONUMENTAL: This copy of Marcus Elieser Bloch's comprehensive natural history of fish is of utmost rarity. The 18th century's ichthyological main work shows impressive depictions of fish in splendid old coloring that is partly silver- or egg-white heightened. It carries an estimate of € 40,000.

ARCTIC: With Jan Huygen van Linschoten's "Voyasie, ofte Schip-vaert" from the year 1624, a very rare description of Willem Barent's first two arctic journeys will be called up. On his quest for the North-East-Passage he did not only explore the Russian double island of Novaya Zemlya but also discovered Spitzbergen. The travelogue, richly illustrated with detail maps and copper plates by Johannes and Baptista von Doetecum, will enter the race with an estimate of € 25,000.

BLOOMY: More than 300 original watercolors by Pieter Joseph de Pannemaeker for "Originaux de publications d'horticulture et d'arboriculture" come from the ownership of Comte de Kerchove de Denterghem. The works which the Belgian painter and lithographer made between 1878-1887 served as models for color plates released in various magazines on plants, flowers and fruits. The unique work with its bright illustrations will be called up with an estimate of € 20,000.

FABULOUS: Joachim Ringelnatz' "Kuttel daddeldu erzählt seinen Kindern das Märchen vom Rotkäppchen" is a true gem for book lovers. The autographed original manuscripts with numerous colored drawings is just one of ten varying copies. The rare version in miniature format is estimated at € 5,000.

COLOR EXPLOSION: The famous lithographic cycle "Daphnis & Chloé" is one of Marc Chagall's main book illustrations and is particularly captivating for its choice of motifs and the intense colors. With this work the artist, who used up to 26 hues per lithograph, celebrates a real fest of colors and conveys his impressions of nature and light in Greece to the observer: The green of the lush vegetation competes with the infinite blue of sky and sea, while red, orange and yellow express the figures' pure lust for life and take the observer straight into the color explosion. The estimate is at € 90,000.

COMPLETED by Wassily Kandinsky's "Klänge" (estimate: € 18,000), one of German Expressionism's most important illustrated and stylistically interesting book, the range of offers also includes Georg Heym's poetry book "Umbra vitae" (estimate: € 4,000) from 1924 with illustrations by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.

Preview:                   November 17 - 19, 24 - 27, 29 from 11 am to 5 pm at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg
Saleroom Auction:    November 30 at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg
Online Only Auction: November 22 - December 2 on www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com

The family company Ketterer Kunst (www.kettererkunst.com and www.ketterer-internet-auctions.com) with headquarters in Munich and branches in Hamburg, Duesseldorf, Berlin as well as with a global network of representatives in, among others, the USA and Brazil, was founded in 1954. It is one of the leading houses for auctions of fine art from the 19th to the 21st Century and Rare Books as well as the expert in German Art. According to latest figures issued by Artnet Price Database for 2020, Ketterer Kunst occupies place 7 in the ranking for Art from the 20th and 21st Century and is the strongest selling family business of all