Antique map of the Americas by Blaeu 1630
Americae nova Tabula
Item Number: 13105 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > America > The Americas
Map of America, oriented to the North
Copper engraving
Size: 41 x 55.5cm (16 x 21.6 inches)
Verso: Blank
Condition: Old coloured, refreshed, a few small stains, some spotting in upper corners, a few small marginal repairs, margins: 1cm.
Condition Rating: B
References: Van der Krogt 2, 9000:2; Burden, 189, State 3; Schilder 6, 16.3a; Campbell, Early Maps, p.24, pl.8.
From: W. Blaeu, Atlantis Appendix, Amsterdam, 1630. (Van der Krogt 2, 011)
The visual appeal of this map is enhanced greatly by the inclusion of three decorative borders. The one above contains nine plans or views of towns. The side panels each contain five portraits of figures. These are drawn from various sources, including Theodore de Bry.
"In the same year the results of Jacob le Maire and Willem Cornelisz Schouten's voyage around Cape Horn became known. They showed that Tierra del Fuego was an island and not connected to the unknown southern continent. Owing to law suits that were filed between the Australian Company and the Dutch East India Company, Blaeu was legally barred from incorporating this new information on his maps and globes in July 1617. This restriction was not lifted until August of the following year. Blaeu immediately updated this work to include Fretum le Maire and State landt. He also removed the coastline of TERRA AUSTRALIS INCOGNITA east of the title cartouche, mysteriously leaving the name behind. Therefore state 1 of the plate, having a life of at most about eighteen months, is extremely rare. Indeed, as late as 1955 only one example was known.
A third state appeared with a revision changing the name to Blaeu in 1621. Keuning wrote in detail about this period of time and the various forms in which we find his name. The change was as a result of the competition of Jan Jansz and the obvious similarities of their names.This state was to appear through to 1630 without text on the reverse. It also appeared in this form in the Atlantis Appendix. This was Blaeu's first attempt at a world atlas, largely instigated by his purchase in 1629 of a number of Jodocus Hondius' plates, and in the following years he would experiment with various formats. In all of these it would appear with text.
. . . All examples without text on the reverse are extremely rare. . . . ". (Burden)