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http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A29224-2001Jul20?language=printer
Library of Congress Buys First Map of 'America'
By Linton Weeks
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, July 21, 2001; Page C08
The Library of Congress has worked out a deal with the German government
and a German prince to buy the storied Waldseemuller world map of 1507 for
$10 million.
The cartographic rarity has been squirreled away in a 16th-century castle
-- now the home of Prince Johannes Waldburg-Wolfegg -- for more than 350
years. It is believed to be the only extant copy of the first map to use
the word "America," illustrate the land masses of the Western Hemisphere
and depict the Pacific Ocean as a discrete body of water.
When Waldseemuller crafted his map, he incorporated information recently
collected by explorer Amerigo Vespucci during his 1501-1502 voyage. The
mapmaker mistakenly labeled a feathery-edged land mass "America," believing
Vespucci had made the discovery instead of Christopher Columbus.
Though the library is heralding the arrival of the document, spokeswoman
Jill Brett said the facility must still muster a considerable lump of money
to keep it.
"Under the terms of the agreement," she said, "the Library of Congress has
made an initial payment of $500,000 and will pay the remainder as funds
become available."
The down payment comes from the library's appropriated acquisitions fund.
"We're seeking private donations," Brett added.
Reported to be in excellent condition, the 36-square-foot map is divided
into a dozen sections. "This map, giving our hemisphere its name for the
first time, will be the crown jewel of the library's already unparalleled
collection of maps and atlases," Librarian of Congress James H. Billington
said in a statement. The library's cartographic collection contains 4.8
million items, some dating to the 14th century.
The Waldseemuller map has already found its way to Washington. Eventually,
Brett said, it will go on public display in the library's Thomas Jefferson
Building.
© 2001 The Washington Post Company
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