Catalog Archive
Auction 102, Lot 78

"Americae nova Tabula", Blaeu, Willem

Subject: Western Hemisphere

Period: 1640 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:
21.7 x 16 inches
55.1 x 40.6 cm
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This magnificent carte-a-figures map is a superb example of the fine art of decorative cartography with ships and sea monsters embellishing the map. Panels at sides, each with five portraits of the native inhabitants of the two continents. Across the top are nine town plans including Mexico City, Havana, Cartegena, and Rio de Janeiro. This is one of the few maps of the Americas by this famous Dutch cartographer. The map itself is similar to Blaeu's wall map of 1608 with the additional discoveries of Henry Hudson and Tierra del Fuego with Le Maire Strait. This is the fourth state of the plate from a Latin edition with the coastline of Terra Australis Incognita deleted, but the name left behind. Latin text on verso.

References: Burden #189; Tooley (Amer) plt. 169.

Condition: A

Lovely old color and impression. One tiny spot in the Atlantic Ocean, still very good. Old paper repair of fold in bottom blank margin.

Estimate: $8,000 - $9,000

Sold for: $6,000

Closed on 3/5/2003

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