Epitome trium terrae partium, Asiae, Africae et Europae compendiariam locorum descriptionem continens, praecipue autem quorum in actis Lucas, passim autem evangelistae & apostoli meminere. Cum addito in fronte libri elencho regionum, urbium, amnium, insularum, quorum Novo Testamento fit mentio, quo expeditius pius lector quae velit, invenire queat.

Zurich, Christoph Froschauer, 1534. Folio. Modern calf, spine ribbed. With beautifully engraved printer's device,depicting frogs climbing a tree, a double page engraved world map depicting America, and numerous nice woodcut initials. [44], 274 pp.

First edition of this concise and influential description of the world, with the very important map of the world (dated Zürich 1534) depicting America for one of the first times. The author describes all the continents, seas and islands, regions, mountains and towns of the world, with separate chapters on Europe, Africa, Asia, and Palestine and even Paradise, emphasizing the Antique world in order to provide his students with a clear picture of the geographical names mentioned in the Bible, so that they could greatly improve their understanding of the Holy Scripture. History as well as geography as indispensable tools for all biblical studies: through this combination the book became soon a great success, complying with the demands of the time. The description of America can be found on pp. 263-73.
Joachim Vadianus, or Von Watt (St. Gallen 1484-1551) was a famous Swiss mathematician, physician, humanist, reformer, poet and geographer. He belonged to the humanist circle of Conradus Celtis and in 1522 he has met Erasmus in Basel several times. He has edited the works of many classical authors, such as Sallust, Ovid, and especially of the geographers Plinius the Elder and Pomponius Mela. In recognition of his humanistic studies Emperor Maximilian I made him a 'Poeta laureata' in 1514. After a professorship at the University of Vienna, he returned to his native town St. Gallen in Switzerland. In the year 1523 he lectured there on the 'Acts of the Apostles', combining evangelical tenets with his old interest in geography, ultimately resulting in his Epitome trium terrae partium, which was published on the basis of a manuscript containing his notes on geography, copied in 1523 by his friend Johannes Kessler and still kept in the City Library of St. Gallen (Vadiana, Ms. 64).
On the verso of the title there is a dedicatory poem by Johannes Kessler from St. Gallen, which is followed by the dedicatory letter of Vadianus to Heinrich Bullinger, the bishop of Zürich, dated 26 July 1534  and the 'Elenchus urbium, gentium, amnium, et locorum', dated 26 July 1533, on pp. (13)-(39). On p. (274) the errata can be found. Further editions appeared also in 1534, 1546 and 1548, all published by Froschauer in Zurich.

Very nice copy, but small worm hole in the outer margin of pp. 175-226.
Ref: VD 16, V20; JCB I, p. 460; Sabin 98279 ; Shirley 70; Harrisse 189.