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Description

An English Rarity--The second state of Robert Walton's rare and decorative map of the World, based upon the 1627 edition of John Speed's map.

Striking example of Robert Walton's fine separately issued double hemisphere map of the World, which is often mistaken for John Speed's map. Speed's map is in turn based upon Grent's extremely rare map of the world published in London.

While the titles of the map and geographical configurations are quite similar, on close examination, the maps have at least one significant difference which is readily observable. The positions of the allegorical figures are reversed, such that Fire and Aire are at the top of Walton's map, whereas they appear on the bottom of Speed's map.

The map includes portraits of the 4 great explorers of the era, Sir Francis Drake, Thomas Candish, Oliver Van Noort and Ferdinand Magellan.

The map shows California as an Island, an unusual Northwest Coast of America, conjectural Magellanica or The Southerne Unknowne Land and extraordinary early detail throughout the map. It is surrounded by smaller celestial hemispheres, figural representations of Water, Earthe, Aire and Fire, a number of celestial phenomena & portraits of early explorers. Includes several lengthy notes on the South Pole & Straits of Magellan.

The first edition of Walton's map, engraved in 1656, included his name and address at the end of the title. The present edition, which appeared circa 1659. removes Waltons' imprint. Walton's map is much rarer than John Speed's map and is of equal artistic beauty and cartographic merit.

Condition Description
Separately issued. Minor soiling in top right part of table. Minor repaired tears along the top of the map. Narrow margins, as issued. Minor repairs at center of map, visible above the "N" in north.