Map · Martin Waldseemüller · 1507
Waldseemüller, Universalis Cosmographia (1507)
Universalis Cosmographia is the wall map of the world printed in 1507 by Martin Waldseemüller at Saint-Dié in Lorraine, and it is the first map to use the name 'America'. The only surviving copy belongs to the Library of Congress, which has published a high-resolution scan with no known restrictions.
History
Waldseemüller and his colleague Matthias Ringmann produced the map to accompany a short geography, the Cosmographiae Introductio, which proposed naming the new lands after Amerigo Vespucci. The map was cut on twelve woodblocks and prints to about 1.28 by 2.33 metres; it was reportedly issued in a thousand copies, of which one survives. It shows the New World as a separate continent with an ocean on its western side, years before Balboa reached the Pacific.
The surviving copy was found in 1901 in Wolfegg Castle in southern Germany and bought by the Library of Congress in 2003 for ten million dollars; it is on permanent display in Washington and is often called 'America's birth certificate'.
What the print shows
The twelve sheets assembled: a world drawn on a modified Ptolemaic projection with the Americas as a long, thin landmass on the left, Africa and Europe in the centre and Asia on the right. Along the top sit portraits of Ptolemy and Vespucci with two small inset hemispheres between them; the margins carry Latin text and wind-heads. The word AMERICA appears on the southern continent, in the area of present-day Brazil.
Source and licence
Source: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division.
Licence: Public domain. The map was published in 1507; the Library of Congress states that there are no known restrictions on reproducing its scan, and no attribution is required.
Also a digital download and in the Vintage Masterpieces and Antique Map sets.
Available sizes and prices
Print: paper or framed Etsy listing 4546526254
| Size | Paper | Framed |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 in (20 × 25 cm) | $26.99 | $89.99 |
| 11 × 14 in (28 × 35 cm) | $43.99 | $123.99 |
| 16 × 20 in (40 × 50 cm) | $48.99 | $184.99 |
| 24 × 36 in (60 × 90 cm) | $69.99 | $332.99 |
| 28 × 40 in (70 × 100 cm) | — | $447.99 |
| 30 × 40 in (75 × 100 cm) | $123.99 | — |
Digital download Etsy listing 4557521823
$5.99: 300 DPI files on your Etsy downloads page the moment payment clears; nothing is shipped.
Printed to order, shipped in 2–5 business days, free US shipping. Paper: matte fine-art paper. Framed: real wood (black, white, wood, dark wood), shatterproof acrylic, ready to hang.
Buy
- Martin Waldseemuller 1507 World Map (print: paper or framed): buy on Etsy, from $26.99.
- Martin Waldseemuller 1507 World Map (digital download): buy on Etsy, $5.99.
- Also in the Vintage Masterpieces Set of 8 download set, $17.99.
- Also in the Antique Map Print Set download set, $27.99.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the 1507 Waldseemüller map famous?
- It is the first map to use the name 'America', applied to South America after Amerigo Vespucci, and the first to show the New World as a separate continent with an ocean to its west.
- Where is the original Waldseemüller map?
- At the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., which bought the only surviving copy in 2003. It is on permanent display.
- How large is the original map?
- About 1.28 by 2.33 metres, printed from twelve woodblocks; the print reproduces the assembled map at sizes up to 30 by 40 inches.
- Can I reproduce the Library of Congress scan?
- Yes. The map is public domain and the Library lists no known restrictions on its high-resolution scan.
Sources
Published 20 Oct 2026; prices are the live Etsy prices as of 20 Oct 2026. The work is public domain; this page's text is © ThinkDotCo and may be quoted with a link.