This beautiful map, originally published in 1637, eventually replaced Hondius' map of the North Pole and became the prototype for many later maps including those of Blaeu. This map incorporates the discoveries made by Captain Thomas James along the southern and western shores of Hudson Bay in 1631-2. The delineation on Russia's Arctic coast is derived from the information from Willem Barents' exploration of 1596-7. A small island off the coast of Lapland is named for the English explorer Hugh Willoughby (Sir Hugo Willoughby's Landt), who led a failed expedition to find a Northeast Passage in 1553. Rhumb lines radiate from the North Pole and several compass roses embellish the chart. A large title cartouche, with two figures and numerous wind heads, conveniently hide the northwest coast of America. The map is further decorated with ships and a cartouche with Jansson’s imprint, which depicts men in parkas, a polar bear and foxes. This is the fourth state of the plate with a legend beneath the cartouche and a completed coastline of Spitzbergen.

References: Burden #250; Kershaw #110; Van der Krogt (Vol. I) #0020:1C.

Condition: B+

A crisp impression with attractive color on wide-margined paper. There is light offsetting, minor toning, and centerfold separations confined to the top and bottom blank margins.