Johan Blaeu (b. Alkmaar 1596, d. Amsterdam 1673, Dutch engraver)
Jan Janssonius (b. Arnhem 1588, d. Amsterdam 1664)
A large collection of more than 170 maps, bound in large half calf volume. 51×35cm. Mostly 17th and 18th century. Nearly all handcoloured. Includes early Dutch maps of the Americas. Many maps by renowned cartographer Jan Jansson, as well as Joh. Blaeu, Frederik de Witt, Schenck and Valk.
Henricus Hondius/Jan Jansson. 'America Septentrionalis'. Amsterdam 1641. 2nd state (following Burden - with Janssons name in cartouche in lower left corner). Handcoloured. Janssons famous map of North America, depicting California as an island. Illustrated with images of sea monsters, ships, buffalo and wild horses. With Latin annotations, including one describing the capture of a Spanish ship by the Dutch which had in its possession a map showing California as an island. Map in largely good condition. Some browning to edges, a minor repaired tear to bottom and a fold around the 300 longitude line. Colours bright and fresh.
Justus Danckerts. 'Novi Belgii Novaeque Angliae nec non Pennsylvaniae et Partis Virginiae Tabula'. Amsterdam, c. 1684. 2nd state which includes Philadelphia. Second state of Justus Danckert's map of New Netherlands, including a view of New Amsterdam, now also called “Nieuw Yorck.” The cartographic information is based upon Jansson's map of 1650. The lower right corner of the map contains an inset of Nieuw Yorck [Nieuw Amsterdam] the third known engraved view of New York. Colours bright and clear, some browning and a slight fold. Illustrated with numerous farm and wild animals.
Frederik de Wit. 'Nova orbis in tabula in lucem.' c. 1680, 3rd state showing Nova Guinea and double pointed top of island-California. Double-hemisphere world map by Frederick de Wit. With two smaller maps of the North and South Pole surrounded by elaborate decoration. Vignettes of the four seasons in the corners and a title bar on top. The discoveries around Australia made by Tasman on his first and second expedition in 1642–44 are included. New Zealand is drawn with one coastline only and California is still shown as an island. Colours lightly faded. Margins with visible mending with washi paper, obscuring some of the South Pole map and bottom vignettes of the seasons. Map has been cut in the middle and reattached in binding process.
Frederik de Wit. 'Novissima et Accuratissima Septentrionalis ac Meridionalis Americae.' Amsterdam c. 1695. (8th state). With two decorative cartouches. Margins strengthened with washi paper. With California as an island and showing El Dorado on the shore of the mythical Lake Parime and the phantom island of Bermeja.
Joh. Blaeu. 'Japonia Regnum.' 1655. Important map of Japan and Korea, from Blaeu's renowned Atlas Sinensis. Shows Korea as a peninsula.
Johann Baptiste Homann. Regni Mexicani seu Novae Hispaniae, Ludovicianae, N. Angliae, Carolinae, Virginiae et Pensylvaniae. Nuremberg. c. 1720. + Valk & Schenk. Terra Australis Incognita, Circulus Antarcticus. Amsterdam c. 1700. + Valk & Schenk. Nova et Accurata Poli Arctici et Terrarum Circum Iacentium Descriptio. Amsterdam 1695–1700. + Schenck & Valk (reissue of Jansson). Pecheli, Xansi, Xantung, Honan, Nanking in plaga Regni Sinensis inter Septentrionem ac Orientem Ceciam versus sitæ Provinciæ. Amsterdam c. 1700. + Visscher. Magni Turcarum Domini Imperium in Europa, Asia et Africa. Amsterdam c. 1679. Folding map.
The volume also contains numerous other maps, mostly handcoloured, from the 17th to 19th century. Some of these with significant repair to margins.
Johannes Janssonius [Jan Jansson] was born 1588 in Arnhem, Netherlands. His first map was published in 1616. Around 15 years later he set up a partnership with his brother in law Hondius and issued further editions of the Mercator/Hondius atlas. Many of his plates have been acquired by Pieter Schenk and Gerard Valk.
Johan Blaeu (1596–1673) was the official cartographer for the Dutch East India company, following his father Willem Blaeu in establishing the family name within the Dutch cartography business. Based on the work of the Italian Jesuit Missionary, Martino Martini he published over 15 maps of China in his Novus Atlas Sinensis.
Frederik de Wit (c. 1629–1706) acquired several of Joh. Bleau's plates and at the end of the 17th century, he had become one of the largest publishers in Amsterdam.
Minor part of map missing at joining on 'Magni Turcarum'. Terra Australis Incognita, Circulus Antarcticus: Faded colours, margins strenghtened lighty obscuring bottom of map. Some browning and folds in map. Some of the lesser known maps with significant repair to margins.