Switzerland, by Visscher N. 1683-1696
The Visscher Family
For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were essential 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 crucial Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher"; under this title, the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscapes and 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered 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 was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.
Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)
Nicolaes Visscher I partnered with his father, continued the business, and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
In about 1657, the first edition of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum appeared.
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 printing and publishing maps and atlases for 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus 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 at this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies operated. Many war maps were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes's death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the war maps as 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 due to the assortment's incredible variety. 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.
Exactissima Helvetiae Rhaetiae, Valesiae ...
Item Number: 18692 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > Switzerland
Antique map of Switzerland by Visscher N.
Title: Exactissima Helvetiae Rhaetiae, Valesiae ...
Date: 1683-1696.
Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Size (not including margins): 470 x 555mm (18.5 x 21.85 inches).
Verso: Blank.
Condition: Original coloured, excellent.
Condition Rating: A+.
From: Atlas Minor Sive Geographia Compendosia, ... Amsterdam, 1683-1696.
The Visscher Family
For nearly a century, the members of the Visscher family were essential 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 crucial Kalverstraat and changed the name into "In de Visscher"; under this title, the shop was to flourish for many years.
He was famous for his engravings and etchings of Dutch landscapes and 'historical scenes', such as sieges, battles, etc. These 'historical scenes' were considered 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 was Nicolaes Visscher I, who was to continue his father's business.
Nicolaes Visscher I (1618-1679)
Nicolaes Visscher I partnered with his father, continued the business, and stayed on the Kalverstraat 'in de Visscher' till his death.
In about 1657, the first edition of his Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum appeared.
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 printing and publishing maps and atlases for 15 years.
After this, he again published an Atlas Contractus 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 at this time initiated the compilation of maps of the countries where the armies operated. Many war maps were included in the various editions of his Atlas Minor.
After Nicolaes's death, his wife, Elizabeth Verseyl, published all the war maps as 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 due to the assortment's incredible variety. 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
Die erst Tafel innhaltend das Schweytzerlandt mit den anstossenden Ländern. 1588
Switzerland by Sebastian Münster.
[Item number: 14631]
Decem et Tria Loca Confoederatorum Helvetiae. 1572-1624
13 bird's-eye views of Swiss cities by Braun and Hogenberg: Schwyz, Unterwalden, Zug, Glarus, Basel, Zurich, Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Fribourg, Solothurn, Schaffhausen and Appenzell.
[Item number: 23230]
Novissima et Acuratissima Helvetiae, Rhaetiae, Valesiae et Partis Sabaudiae Tabula 1756
Antique map of Switzerland by Ottens R. & J.
[Item number: 23506]
Nova Helvetiae, Foederatarumque cum ea, nec non Subditarum Regionum Tabula ... 1730
Switzerland by Guillaume Delisle, published by Covens & Mortier.
[Item number: 25699]
La Suisse. 1713
Switzerland, by Pieter Van der Aa.
[Item number: 26174]
Helvetia cum finitimis regionibus confoederatis. 1641
Switzerland, by Henricus Hondius
[Item number: 26292]
La Suisse Divisee en ses Treize Cantons et ses Allies. 1776-79
Switzerland, by Francesco Santini.
[Item number: 26957]
Helvetia cum finitimis regionibus confoederatis. 1623
Switzerland, by Gerard Mercator.
[Item number: 27884]
Nova Helvetiae Tabula. c. 1634
Switzerland, by Jodocus Hondius.
[Item number: 28003]
Ta . Here . Helve. [From verso] 1525
Switzerland by Lorenz Fries.
[Item number: 28199]
Helvetia Divisa in Tredicem Cantones sive Regiones, Bernam nempe Fruburgum, Solodurum, Basileam, Schafhusiam; Tigurum et Lucernam, cum foederatis Regionibus, numirum Comitatu Neoburgensi, urbe Biela, Resp. Genevensi Abbatia S. Galleni et Vallesia. c. 1702
Switzerland by Gerard & Leonard Valck.
[Item number: 28270]
Helvetiae Rhetiae & Valesiae cum omnibus finitimis regionibus Tabula Vulgo Schweitzerland. c. 1678
Switzerland by Johannes Janssonius.
[Item number: 28538]
Carte Générale des treize Cantons Suisse, et des différents Etats de leur Dépendance; ainsi que la pluspart des Etats qui leur sont voisins et aliez; avec des tables pour l'intelligence de l'Histoire. 1708
Switzerlandx, by Zacharias Châtelain.
[Item number: 29444]
La Suisse divisée en ses Treze Cantons, Ses Alliez & Ses Sujets, c. 1709
Switzerland by Hubert Jaillot, published by Pierre Mortier.
[Item number: 29566]
Helvetia cum finitimis Regionibus confoederatis. 1643
Switzerland by Willem Blaeu.
[Item number: 29928]
Affligenium Vulgo Affligem Primaria ac nobilissima in Ducatu Brabantiae, ordinis S. Benedicti Abbatia. 1726
Benedictine Abbey of Affligem, by Antonius Sanderus.
[Item number: 30779]
Early Tavernier with an exclusive text beneath.
Charte de la Suisse, de la Rhetie, ou des Grisons, de la Valtelin, du Valay, c. 1630-1650
Switzerland by Melchior Tavernier.
[Item number: 30851]
The first modern map of the Canton of Graubunden.
Alpinae seu foederatae Rhaetiae subdirarumque ei Terrarum nova descriptio. Grisons en Veltolina. 1630
Italian and Swiss Alps by C.J. Visscher, after Philipp Cluverius.
[Item number: 30936]