Franz de Paula Michael Reisser (1769 – 1835)
was an Austrian professor and author. Son of a „Greißler“ (owner of a small grocery store) he studied philosophy at the University of Vienna and was awarded a Dr. phil. degree. Later Reisser was appointed Professor of Commercial History and Dean of the Philosophical Faculty at the University of Vienna. He became well-known through his school textbooks.
Map Details
This very rare map is taken from „Atlas der neuen Geographie“ bei Schulbücher-Verschleiß in Wien 1813. It is to be found in a catalog of Austrian Atlases edited by Dörflinger, Johannes/Hühnel, Helga, Atlantes Austriaci (Österreichische Atlanten), volume 1: 1561 – 1918, sub-volume 1, S. 141f., SBV A. 34.
The title of the map is in the upper left corner, with a stamp of the gymnasium in Znaim and a mileage scale underneath.
The map shows Scandinavia, the western part of Russia („Russland“), the northern part of the Baltic region and Prussia („Preussen“). The map is covered by two inset maps: Iceland in the lower right and the Faroe Islands („Färöer Inseln“) lower left corner.
The map is very detailed but the Arctic Circle is not marked.
Astonishingly Iceland is not named, only the four geographical regions „Nordland“, „Ostland“, „Südland“ und „Westland“. There are only few place-names along the coastline and in the interior. The bishoprics Skalholt and Holar („Holun“) and the volcano Hekla („Hecla“) are named but without any symbols.
Comments by the collector
Although the map is rather young I acquired it because of several reasons:
As I could not find anything about the map and I have never seen sale offers, this map is obviously very rare. Furthermore it looks attractive and the composition is unusual. There is also a personal reason: in Finland near the 64th latitude the name „Sotkamo“ is to be seen. Nearby is the lake „Nuasjärvi“ where my family owns a holiday home since decades.