Antique map of North America by C. de Jode 1593

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Item Number:  1400 Authenticity Guarantee

Category:  Antique maps > America > North America

Antique map of North America by C. de Jode

Date of this map: 1593 (first and only edition)

Copper engraving
Size: 36.5 x 50.5cm (14.2 x 19.7 inches)
Verso text: Latin
Condition: Contemporary old coloured, excellent.
Condition Rating: A
References: Burden, 81; Van der Krogt 3, 9100:32; Wagner, 1593.

From: Speculum Orbis Terrae. Antwerpen, G. De Jode, 1593. (Van der Krogt 3, 2:02)

"In 1578 Gerard de Jode published his Speculum Orbis Terrarum, an atlas aimed at competing with the Theatrum of Ortelius. However, the latter had first been issued in 1570 and had already built a commanding market presence, and so despite de Jode's longer standing reputation the atlas did not sell very well. Only a dozen or so examples have survived. Undeterred, he made plans for another expanded edition, and upon his death in 1591 it was taken on by his son Cornelis. The Speculum Orbis Terrae of 1593 likewise did not sell well and was never reissued. Although more examples than the first edition have survived, it too is very scarce. Many of de Jode's maps are judged to be superior to those of Ortelius, both in detail and style.

De Jode drew on the eighteen sheet world map by Petrus Plancius of 1592 for the outline of North America. This was just the second printed map to encompass this area, the Forlani of 1565 being the first. Porcacchi's map of 1572 was a direct reduction of the Zaltieri. Although this map does not extend to the northwest it does in fact couple perfectly with the following map of Quivera to complete the coverage of North America. The map is most renowned for its first use of the two maps published by Theodore de Bry in 1590 and 1591, after John White and Jacques le Moyne respectively. But his use of them was not entirely accurate, the middle Atlantic coast is placed some 4° to 6° too far north resulting in Chesipooc Sinus (Chesapeake Bay) being placed at the same latitude as present day southern Maine. C.de las arenas, depicted on a number of earlier maps often by another name, most probably represents Cape Hatteras. It had always been given a latitude of about 38° to 40° dating as far back as Giacomo Gastaldi's Tierra Nveva, 1548; here it is placed even further north when it is in reality 35°. When Richard Hakluyt in 1587 placed Virginia on his map he correctly positioned it above this point. In 1590 de Bry published John White's map of Virginia, noticeably without latitudinal markings; that more detailed cartography was placed above the inaccurate but longer lived Cape Arenas by de Jode. This pushed the entire coastline further northwards, adding to the confusion.

It was now 100 years since news of the discovery of these new lands reached Europe and although a large amount had been learnt, the coastline between Virginia and the Gulf of St. Lawrence particularty was poorly understood. A very direct North West Passage is shown running the length of the top of the map with a Lago de Conibas emptying into these waters. We find for the second time an inland lake in the west with a legend about Marcus Niza next to it. Its first appearance was in the Hakluyt map of 1587. The coastline of the Gulf of Mexico bears a feature similar to the mouth of the Mississippi as we know it, but is misplaced further east from the traditional depiction. The whole map is beautifully adorned with attractively denoted mountain ranges. Many legends appear, and in the lower left is an inset showing six natives of Virginia all derived from the drawings of John White. To the right of the title is a scene depicting the attack on Frobisher's vessel by native Indians.

Being issued in only one edition this map is very rare. There is only one known state; however, the plates were bought by Vrients, possibly to keep them out of circulation whilst he published his own to have issued a later state of de Jode's polar world map. It is recorded that de Jode was selling the maps separately; examples are found without text on the reverse." (Burden)

References: Burden - 81; Van der Krogt 3 - 9100:32; Wagner - 1593