This product is successfully added to your cart
Questions about this product? (#28554)

Authenticity Guarantee
All items are guaranteed authentic prints (woodcuts or engravings) or manuscripts made at or about (c.) the given date and in good condition unless stated otherwise. We don’t sell facsimiles or reproductions. We deliver every map with a Certificate of Authenticity containing all the details.

America by Nicolaes Visscher I. 1656-77

The Visscher Family

For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were important art dealers and map publishers in Amsterdam.

Claes Jansz. Visscher, or N.J. Piscator (1587-1652)

Claes Jansz. Vischer bought a house in Amsterdam, 'de gulden Bors', on the important Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher" and it was under this title that the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscape and of 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered as contemporary illustrated news items, especially, e.g., that of 'the Eighty Years' War'.
For the publication of his first atlas, he bought copperplates of the atlas Germania Inferior by Pieter van den Keere (1623).
In 1649, he published an atlas entitled Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum, containing the same maps as Langenes' Caert Thresoor, for which Visscher had only new title-pages engraved.
Claes Jansz. Visscher died in 1652. His wife, Neeltjen Florisdr., had already died in 1640. They had seven children, four of whom were still alive at Claes Jansz.'s death. One of them was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.

Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)

Nicolaes Visscher I entered into a partnership with his father and continued the business and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
About 1657, the first edition appeared of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum.
Between 1664 and 1677, several editions of his Atlas Contractus appeared without a printed index, for these atlases had no fixed contents, but were composed according to the buyer's financial leaping-pole.
In May 1664, Nicolaes Visscher was admitted as a member of the Booksellers' Guild of his town. In July 1677, he was granted a patent of the States of Holland and West-Friesland for the printing and publishing of maps and atlases for a period of 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus, this time with a printed index. At about the same time, he also brought out an Atlas Minor.

Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702)

Nicolaes Visscher II inherited the 'shop' from his father. To obtain a new privilege he applied to the States of Holland and West-Friesland in 1682, for a patent for printing and publishing maps. This patent was granted to him the same year. He moved the firm to the Dam, but it kept the same signboard: "In de Visscher".
Around 1683, he published his first Atlas Minor with a printed index of 91 maps. In 1684, an atlas Germania Inferior appeared. Till 1697 he published another number of atlases. He used his grandfather's (Claes Jansz.) maps less often now and relied more and more on his own.
The wars waged in this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies were operating. Many maps of war were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes' death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the maps of war in the form of an atlas under the title: De Stoel des Oorlogs in de Wereld (The seat of war in the world).

The widow of Nicolaes Visscher II (?-1726)

His widow continued the business energetically, and by her hand, under the name of her deceased husband, numerous atlases appeared, e.g., several editions of the Atlas Minor, an Atlas Maior and De Stoel des Oorlogs. The shop enjoyed a high reputation owing to the great variety of the assortment. Not only 'Visscher' maps, but also maps of other publishers were obtainable. With the death of Elizabeth Verseyl, in 1726, the last descendant died of a great map- and atlas-publishing firm in Amsterdam.

back

Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americae Descriptio.

€2000  ($2200 / £1740)
add to cart
questions?
PRINT

Item Number:  28554 Authenticity Guarantee

Category:  Antique maps > America > The Americas
References: Burden - #332 State 1; McLaughlin - #48; Tooley (America) - p.119 #29 (Pl.41)

Old, antique map of America, by Nicolaes Visscher I.

Title: Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americae Descriptio.
per N. Visscher.

First state (without privilege).
California as an island.

Date of the first edition: c. 1658.
Date of this map: 1656-77.

Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Map size: 435 x 550mm (17.13 x 21.65 inches).
Sheet size: 540 x 615mm (21.26 x 24.21 inches).
Verso: Blank.
Condition: Original coloured, minor offsetting.
Condition Rating: A+.
References: Burden #332, State 1; McLaughlin, #48; Tooley (America), p.119 #29 (Pl.41)

From: Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum Praecipuas ac Novissimas Complectens Tabulas. Amsterdam, N. Visscher, 1656-77. (Koeman III, Vis5-8)

This map is dedicated to Cornelius Witsen, his coat of arms is shown on a shield supported by angels.

The Visscher Family

For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were important art dealers and map publishers in Amsterdam.

Claes Jansz. Visscher, or N.J. Piscator (1587-1652)

Claes Jansz. Vischer bought a house in Amsterdam, 'de gulden Bors', on the important Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher" and it was under this title that the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscape and of 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered as contemporary illustrated news items, especially, e.g., that of 'the Eighty Years' War'.
For the publication of his first atlas, he bought copperplates of the atlas Germania Inferior by Pieter van den Keere (1623).
In 1649, he published an atlas entitled Tabularum Geographicarum Contractarum, containing the same maps as Langenes' Caert Thresoor, for which Visscher had only new title-pages engraved.
Claes Jansz. Visscher died in 1652. His wife, Neeltjen Florisdr., had already died in 1640. They had seven children, four of whom were still alive at Claes Jansz.'s death. One of them was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.

Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)

Nicolaes Visscher I entered into a partnership with his father and continued the business and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
About 1657, the first edition appeared of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum.
Between 1664 and 1677, several editions of his Atlas Contractus appeared without a printed index, for these atlases had no fixed contents, but were composed according to the buyer's financial leaping-pole.
In May 1664, Nicolaes Visscher was admitted as a member of the Booksellers' Guild of his town. In July 1677, he was granted a patent of the States of Holland and West-Friesland for the printing and publishing of maps and atlases for a period of 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus, this time with a printed index. At about the same time, he also brought out an Atlas Minor.

Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702)

Nicolaes Visscher II inherited the 'shop' from his father. To obtain a new privilege he applied to the States of Holland and West-Friesland in 1682, for a patent for printing and publishing maps. This patent was granted to him the same year. He moved the firm to the Dam, but it kept the same signboard: "In de Visscher".
Around 1683, he published his first Atlas Minor with a printed index of 91 maps. In 1684, an atlas Germania Inferior appeared. Till 1697 he published another number of atlases. He used his grandfather's (Claes Jansz.) maps less often now and relied more and more on his own.
The wars waged in this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies were operating. Many maps of war were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes' death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the maps of war in the form of an atlas under the title: De Stoel des Oorlogs in de Wereld (The seat of war in the world).

The widow of Nicolaes Visscher II (?-1726)

His widow continued the business energetically, and by her hand, under the name of her deceased husband, numerous atlases appeared, e.g., several editions of the Atlas Minor, an Atlas Maior and De Stoel des Oorlogs. The shop enjoyed a high reputation owing to the great variety of the assortment. Not only 'Visscher' maps, but also maps of other publishers were obtainable. With the death of Elizabeth Verseyl, in 1726, the last descendant died of a great map- and atlas-publishing firm in Amsterdam.

Related items

America, by Gerard Mercator

America sive India Nova ad magnae Gerardi Mercatoris avi Universalis imitationem in compendium redacta. 1623
America, by Gerard Mercator
[Item number: 131]

€2500  ($2750 / £2175)
America by Langenes, published by Bertius P.

America 1602
America by Langenes, published by Bertius P.
[Item number: 12494]

€430  ($473 / £374.1)
The Americas by Theodore de Bry.

America Sive Novus Orbis Respectu Europaeorum Inferior Globi Terrestri Pars. 1596. 1596
The Americas by Theodore de Bry.
[Item number: 12546]

€9000  ($9900 / £7830)
America, by Willem Blaeu.

Americae nova Tabula. 1647-49
America, by Willem Blaeu.
[Item number: 6717]

€5000  ($5500 / £4350)
America, by Abraham Ortelius.

Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio. 1598
America, by Abraham Ortelius.
[Item number: 25618]

€3800  ($4180 / £3306)
America by A.F. Zürner, published by Petrus Schenk.

Americae tam Septentrionalis quam Meridionalis in Mappa Geographica Delineatio. c. 1700
America by A.F. Zürner, published by Petrus Schenk.
[Item number: 25715]

€1400  ($1540 / £1218)
America, by Matheus Merian

America noviter delineata. 1631
America, by Matheus Merian
[Item number: 2515]

€900  ($990 / £783)
America by Sebastian Münster.

Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio. 1598
America by Sebastian Münster.
[Item number: 25931]

€670  ($737 / £582.9)
America, by Francesco Santini.

L'Amerique Divisée en ses Principaux Etats Assujettie aux Observations Astronomiqes. 1776-79
America, by Francesco Santini.
[Item number: 26978]

€420  ($462 / £365.4)
America, by Jodocus Hondius.

Americae Descrip. 1607
America, by Jodocus Hondius.
[Item number: 27088]

€900  ($990 / £783)
America by Abraham Ortelius.

Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio. 1603
America by Abraham Ortelius.
[Item number: 27538]

€4500  ($4950 / £3915)
America (Western Hemisphere), by Gerard Mercator.

America sive India Nova. 1623
America (Western Hemisphere), by Gerard Mercator.
[Item number: 27752]

€3200  ($3520 / £2784)
America, by François Halma.

L'Amerique selon les Nouvelles Observations de Messrs. de l'Academie des Sciences, etc. Before 1713
America, by François Halma.
[Item number: 28017]

€3800  ($4180 / £3306)
America by Frederick de Wit, published by Covens & Mortier.

Novissima et Accuratissima Septentrionalis ac Meridionalis Americae. c. 1715
America by Frederick de Wit, published by Covens & Mortier.
[Item number: 28295]

€2100  ($2310 / £1827)
America, by Giovanni Lorenzo d'Anania, published by Girolamo Ruscelli.

America. 1598
America, by Giovanni Lorenzo d'Anania, published by Girolamo Ruscelli.
[Item number: 28432]

€850  ($935 / £739.5)
America by Jodocus Hondius.

America. 1613
America by Jodocus Hondius.
[Item number: 28530]

€3500  ($3850 / £3045)
America by Abraham Ortelius.

Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio. 1572
America by Abraham Ortelius.
[Item number: 29237]

€6200  ($6820 / £5394)
Pacific by Zacharias Châtelain after Nicolas de Fer.

Carte tres Curieuse de la Mer du Sud, Contenant des Remarques Nouvelles et tres Utiles non Seulement sur les Ports et Iles de cette Mer, 1719
Pacific by Zacharias Châtelain after Nicolas de Fer.
[Item number: 29466]

€12500  ($13750 / £10875)