This rare map of Asia was copied from Henricus Hondius' 1631 map, Asia Recens Summa Cura Delineata, which in turn was based on Jodocus Hondius' carte-a-figures map of Asia from 1623. According to Burden, "this rare map is one of a set of the four known continents that Melchior Tavernier had engraved, with or without Petrus Bertius' permission is unclear." The map extends from the Arabian Peninsula through the East Indies and includes some interesting conjectural cartography. The Caspian Sea is oriented horizontally, and the northeastern coast of Russia is quite truncated. The mythical Chiamai Lac is shown in western China with five rivers flowing south. Korea is shown as an elongated peninsula, and Japan is based on the Ortelius/Teixeira model. There is a wide expanse of ocean between the east coast of Asia and America, which is conveniently hidden by the title cartouche. The map was engraved by Cornelis Danckerts, who also copied most of Hondius' decorative elements, including a pair of lions, an elephant, European ships, a Chinese sampan, and sea monsters. The map is adorned with two strapwork cartouches, one of which is blank.

References: cf. Burden #218; Yeo #31.

Condition: A

A crisp impression on a bright sheet with a bunch of grapes watermark and professional repairs to small chips in the top corners of the sheet, not affecting the image.