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Description

Nice old color example of Visscher's decorative map of Africa.

Offered here in the first state, before the addition of the privilege added to the lower right part of the map. This map was used in a number of atlases produced by Nicolaas Visscher up to 1679, when upon his death, his son Nicolaas Visscher II began issuing his own Atlas Minor, using his father's plate. The second state of the map has been found in atlases dated as late as 1696.

A beautiful map of the continent of Africa filled with details of mythical towns, rivers, and mountains, which continues to reflect the Ptolemaic view of Africa. To prepare this map, Visscher used Willem Blaeu's 1608 wall map of Africa. As in Blaeu's map, Visscher depicts a common source for the Cuama and Spirito Santo Rivers of the Zembre River originating in Sacaf Lacus in Southern Africa. The general outline of the continent is surprisingly modern in appearance.

The South African coastline is shown in great detail. In 1652, the first Dutch settlement under Jan van Riebeeck at the Cape of Good Hope occurred, and Visscher incorporates this information into his map. Visscher introduces a number of Dutch names interspersed with older Portuguese names: Tafel bay (Table Bay), Tafel berg (Table Mountain), Robben Eyl (Robben Island), and Schorre hoek (the southern-most point in Africa).

The title cartouche in upper right is surrounded by two Africans, one holding a scorpion and the other a cornucopia. The dedication in lower left to the Dutchman, Gerard Schaep, is surrounded by Neptune and mermaids. Blank land spaces are filled with African Animals and the sea is full of sailing vessels with a few flying fish and a whale.

Condition Description
Original hand-color. A small, roughly ¼-inch wide, strip of paper adjacent to the centerfold has been expertly reinstated at the bottom of the map. Two other small repairs along the centerfold in the upper half of the map.
Reference
Betz, R.L. #87; Norwich, O.I. #55.