As early as the autumn of 1547, about thirty advance or dedication copies of this chronicle were printed and presented to representatives of the Thirteen Old Cantons (Switzerland). The print run intended for sale was probably around two thousand copies and was dated 1548. The success was enormous because the entire edition was sold within a few years despite the staggering sales price of thirteen guilders. A second edition, updated to around 1580, was published by Stumpff's son, Johann Rudolf (1530–1592), in 1586, and a third edition - titled 'Schweytzer Chronick' - appeared another twenty years later in a smaller format.

The maps within this atlas are based on material supplied by Aegidius Tschudi. The atlas includes five double-page maps showing Europe, Germany, France, the country of the ancient Hevetii tribe, and contemporary Switzerland. There are also eight full-page regional maps of the Swiss Confederation. These maps were also published separately and formed the first ever national atlas. Additionally, Johannes Honter’s rendition of the Apianus cordiform world map of 1520, appears in the text on page two of volume one.

With almost 4,000 woodcuts, Johannes Stumpff's world chronicle is one of the most richly illustrated printed works ever, even surpassing the famous ‘Nuremberg Chronicle’ of Hartmann Schedel, printed in 1493. This is one of only thirty dedication copies that were pre-circulated to representatives of the Thirteen Old Cantons in 1547 to promote the forthcoming publication of the chronicle in 1548.

The splendid woodcuts, showing deeds, battles, town views, coats of arms, and other facets of Swiss history, also include one of the earliest accounts of the Legend of William Tell. The woodcuts are the work of the most renowned Swiss artists of the day, such as Heinrich Vogtherr the Elder, the Zurich painter Hans Asper, Robert and Johann Rudolf Wyssenbach, the monogramist VS, and the Zurich woodcutter Ludwig Fryg.

The chronicle also contains numerous maps created in collaboration with Aegidius Tschudi (1505–1572). There are five double-page maps of Europe, Germany, France, Hevetii, and contemporary Switzerland, and eight full-page regional maps of the confederation. In addition, Johannes Honter’s reduced-size version of Petrus Apianus' cordiform world map is included.

The world map within this atlas was first published in Johannes Honter’s 'Rudimenta Cosmographia' ('Rudimentary Cosmography') of 1546. Stumpff received active support for his magnum opus from leading humanists and historians, namely: Aegidius Tschudi (1505-1572); the Saint Gallen Reformer Joachim Vadianus (1484–1551); the Zurich Antistes Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575); and the printer Christoph Froschauer (1490–1564), who spared neither effort nor expense to render this chronicle a masterpiece of Swiss book illustration in the sixteenth century - a standard work of history up to the eighteenth century.

Text leaf from German book with battle scene and weather

Title page

Cordiform world map

Map of Spain

Genealogy of the Turkish Emperors

Battle scene

Map of the German nation

Royalty of Germany portraits

Ship on the ocean

Military attack on a town

Settlement and army illustrations

Map of Gaul

Map of Switzerland 

Title page for part 2

Map of Europe

Attack on Zurich

Aargau, Switzerland

Chur and Graubünden

Coats of Arms from Unterwallis

Kaiser Friedrich visiting Basel

Illustration of two men in armour before their heraldry 

Woodcut showing the legend of Wilhelm (William) Tell, the defiant origin story of the Swiss Confederation

The first 'national' atlas, and the first atlas of Switzerland. This is one of the few copies of the first edition that have survived out of about thirty examples which were printed for dedication purposes, or for presentation at the Frankfurt Fair. These copies each bear the date 1547; the rest of the edition was then dated 1548.