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Description

Original, 17th-century Jansson carte-a-figures map of Denmark, published in Amsterdam. and showing the Jutland Peninsula.

The map shows the country in full, includes a portrait of Tycho Brahe bottom center, and  is surrounded by city views of:

  • Coppenhagen
  • Elsenor
  • Lantskroon
  • Ripen
  • Veraniburgum
  • Oldenborgh
  • Lubeck
  • Hamburg
  • Sleswyck
  • Cronenburg

Danish coat of arms and costumed figures on either side of the map.

The map on the verso is entitled Ducatus Luneburgensis Adiacentiumqu regionum delineatio Auctore Iohanne Mellingero. This map extends from Hamburg to Wolfenbuttel, showing the lower Albis River. Bremen, Lunenborg, Nienborg, Brunswig, Magedburg and Oldenburg also appear on the map.

Condition Description
Two maps, pasted front and back. Front map with loss around edges, into image. Toning and some soiling. Map on the reverse in good condition, with toning and staining but no loss to image.
Jan Jansson Biography

Jan Janssonius (also known as Johann or Jan Jansson or Janszoon) (1588-1664) was a renowned geographer and publisher of the seventeenth century, when the Dutch dominated map publishing in Europe. Born in Arnhem, Jan was first exposed to the trade via his father, who was also a bookseller and publisher. In 1612, Jan married the daughter of Jodocus Hondius, who was also a prominent mapmaker and seller. Jonssonius’ first maps date from 1616.

In the 1630s, Janssonius worked with his brother-in-law, Henricus Hondius. Their most successful venture was to reissue the Mercator-Hondius atlas. Jodocus Hondius had acquired the plates to the Mercator atlas, first published in 1595, and added 36 additional maps. After Hondius died in 1612, Henricus took over publication; Janssonius joined the venture in 1633. Eventually, the atlas was renamed the Atlas Novus and then the Atlas Major, by which time it had expanded to eleven volumes. Janssonius is also well known for his volume of English county maps, published in 1646.

Janssonius died in Amsterdam in 1664. His son-in-law, Johannes van Waesbergen, took over his business. Eventually, many of Janssonius’ plates were sold to Gerard Valck and Pieter Schenk, who added their names and continued to reissue the maps.