Montanus' work was perhaps the greatest illustrated book on the New World produced in the seventeenth century. It contained over one hundred beautifully engraved plates, views, and maps of North and South America. The plates vividly depict forts, festivals, occupations, Dutch fleets, battles, religious rites, and customs of the native inhabitants. This important work was translated into German by Olivier Dapper, and into English by John Ogilby. Several of the plates were later acquired by Pierre Vander Aa.

This spectacular work is John Ogilby's English translation of Arnoldus Montanus' De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld. This two-volume set includes the full text and all of the half-page engravings within the text. The title page, frontispiece, maps, and double-page engravings are not included. There are a total of 65 half-page engravings depicting Native Americans and their customs, encounters with European explorers, local flora and fauna, mythical creatures, cannibalism, battle scenes on both land and sea, and several city views, including the view of New Amsterdam (Manhattan).

Large folio; 674 pages plus the catalog of authors and table of contents. Handsomely rebound in half tan leather with tips over green buckram boards, with raised bands and red leather labels with gilt titling on spine. Each page in this example has been exquisitely double red-lined ruled, which was a common embellishment for a royal presentation set.

References:

Condition: A

The engravings have superb, dark impressions and the text is generally very clean and bright, with minor occasional soiling or short edge tears (non affecting any engravings). Page 211 is torn in half and there are several leaves at the very front and back of each volume that have moderate soiling. The covers and spine have a few small stains and scuffs, but are otherwise in nice condition.