This tiny map is a reduced version of the earliest map to focus on the North Pacific. While designed to illustrate the expansive Kingdom of the Great Khan in Asia, its main feature is the Stretto di Anian. The map is a reduction of Ortelius' Tartariae from his 1570 Theatrum and retains the majority of the nomenclature in North America. The map covers northern Russia, China, and Japan, which is shown just to the west of the American shore. Seas fully engraved in stipple. Embellished with a sailing ship and small title cartouche. French text on verso. The first pocket version of Ortelius' Theatrum was published by Philippe Galle in 1577 as Spieghel der Werelt. Galle began a new edition with new plates, commonly known as the Epitome, in 1588. Galle's miniature atlas was quite popular, and was published in editions until 1602. From 1583 he gradually introduced a new set of maps, both adding to and replacing the originals. The plates were then passed to Jan B. Vrients, who retouched some of the plates and published the final editions of the Epitome in 1601 and 1602.

References: Burden #50; King (2nd Ed.) pp. 64-65 & 88-89; Van der Krogt (Vol. III) #8050:331.

Condition: B+

A nice impression with light toning and marginal soiling.