MANUSCRIPT on paper (watermark similar to Heawood I, 1611), folio (330 x 224mm), LARGE FOLDING DETAILED PEN AND INK MAP OF CRETE (250 x 825mm.), [4 pp.], fol. 2-67, pen and ink title within a decorative border surmounted by the lion of St Mark and signed at the foot with initials 'P.P.B.', some pen and ink initials, the text dated at end 6 December 1630, carta rustica, some light spotting and dust-soiling, slight marginal worming, two repaired holes at foot of title, contents loose or becoming so, spine slightly worn

Formerly in the collection of Dr Burkhard Traeger

Clutton, Elizabeth. Some seventeenth century images of Crete: a comparative analysis of the manuscript maps by Francesco Basilicata and the printed maps by Marco Boschini (Imago Mundi 34, 1982: 48-65); Clutton, E. Political Conflict and Military Strategy: The Case of Crete as Exemplified by Basilicata's Relatione of 1630 (Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Vol. 3, No. 3, 1978: 274-284); cf. Venice: Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, MSS Ital. Cl. VII, col. 8976 (Relatione di tutto il Regno di Candia ... Map of Crete dated 1629, and long accompanying text dated 1630. No plans or landscape drawings)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

OTTOMAN-VENETIAN WARS. A VERY RARE MANUSCRIPT OF BASILICATA'S DETAILED 1629 MAP AND 1630 DESCRIPTION OF CRETE. 'The purpose of the 1629 map was to provide a military reference map for strategic planning, to be used in conjunction with a long detailed text on the nature and distribution of the island's defences, and the possible zones of weakness if the expected Turkish invasion took place.' (Clutton)

The military engineer Francesco Basilicata worked for the Venetian Republic and 'must have lived and worked in Crete for many years: from before 1612, when he produced his first known detailed map of the island, at least until March 1638. During this time he produced a number of works in manuscri✨pt, chiefly concerned with the state of defences of Crete ... It is important to stress the value of the Basilicata corpus as a whole, for it constitutes a rich source of military and topographic data. Basilicata's maps were a major source for Marco Boschini's printed maps of Crete, the first of many to be based at least in part upon Basilicata's work ... overall, it is the closeness of the 1629 [map] to the modern shape that is impressive. Detailed ground knowledge has indeed resulted in a high standard of accuracy with respect to the shape details of individual segments of the outline ... On [Basilicata's] 1612 map no attempt is made to show inland villages, but on the 1629 map over 1,000 villages are named in tiny script, throughout the interior. THIS MAP IS, THEREFORE, A UNIQUELY DETAILED SOURCE FOR THE STUDY OF THE ꦓSETTLEMENT GEOGRAPHY OF CRETE AT A CRITICAL MOMENT IN ITS HISTORY - I.E. SHORTLY BEFORE THE TURKISH INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF THE ISLAND" (Clutton).