This copper engraving is from a remarkable series of publications, illustrating voyages of discovery and travels of exploration to various parts of the world. The project was begun by Theodore de Bry of Frankfurt, in 1590 and was to continue for another 54 years. They became known collectively as the Grands Voyages (to America and the West Indies) and the Petits Voyages (to the Orient and the East Indies). De Bry died after the first six parts of the Grands Voyages were completed. The project was completed initially by his widow and two sons, Johann Theodore de Bry and Johann Israel de Bry, then by his son-in-law, Matthaus Merian in 1644.

This is a partial, disbound chapter of Part VI of De Bry's Petits Voyages consisting of all 154 pages German text, two title pages, and 14 (of 26) plates. This part contains the expeditions of the Dutch to parts of Africa, including Guinea, the Canary Islands, and Gabon. The plates depict their religious beliefs, customs, clothing, methods of fishing, and ceremonies, and each have printed text at the bottom with blank versos. The plates are:

1. Male inhabitants of the Gold Coast (Gold Coast)
2. How the men of the Gold Coast dress (Gold Coast)
3. How the women of the Gold Coast dress (Gold Coast)
4. The market at Cabo Corsso (Gold Coast)
5. Certain ceremonies used in worship (Africa in general)
6. How the natives fight each other (Africa in general)
7. The natives' court of justice (Africa in general)
8. How the natives trade in boats with the Dutch (Gold Coast)
9. The way they fish by day (Africa in general)
10. The way they fish by night (Africa in general)
17. The natives' clothing and how they adorn themselves (Africa in general)
18. How a funeral ceremony is carried out (Africa in general)
19. How the chief of Cabo Lopo Gonsalues presents himself (Gabon)
20. More inhabitants of Cabo Lopo Gonsalues (Gabon)

References:

Condition: B

The text and plates have light toning, light to moderate soiling, and a damp stain in the top margin of the plates and text pages 127-154. The title page has a 4" square hole and is missing the central engraving of ships, which has been replaced with paper that was glued on with a substance that has caused staining on the title page. Plates 10 and 17-20 are detached and had new backstraps added at left, again with glue that has caused staining. These detached plates have worm tracks at far left. Plate 18 has a large chip at bottom right and plate 20 is quite tattered and chipped along the edges.