Friday, January 12, 2007

Early Map of Scotland Sold at Auction

A map called the first accurate depiction of Scotland (printed 1583) sold for £22,000 at an Edinburgh auction, The Scotsman reports. The chart, which was created in manuscript form by Alexander Lyndsey in 1546, was printed by Frenchman Nicholas de Nicolay, and is known as the Nicolay Rutter. Beyond a chart of the Scottish coast, the map also contains "nearly 200 items of information and advice about tides, courses and havens, soundings and hazards."

The buyer was an "unnamed London dealer."

I enjoyed the first comment beneath the article too and can't resist sharing it: "What an absolute waste of money! You can get a Tom Tom for £150, and it shows you all the new streets as well."

(h/t Shelf:Life)