Item of the Day: Il Consolato del Mare (1599)
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M D X C I X.
The text of the "Portolano" is attributed to Alvise da Cadamosta (1430-1480), the Venetian navigator who made two voyages to Guinea for Prince Henry.
The "Consolato" was a highly important sourcebook of maritime legislation. The institution of the Consolato del Mare made a major contribution towards the codification and development of shipping law and laid the basis for present-day maritime law. It was first published in 1494 in Barcelona, and based on fourteenth-century surveys of maritime customs. It achieved its widest circulation in Italian, more specifically Venetian, editions in the 16th and 17th centuries. In addition to legal information, it also provides extensive information on the practical running of the ship, maritime organization, and taxes and tariffs. Printed in Venice by Lucio Spineda, 1599.