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Description

Incorporating The Dutch Discoveries in Australia and New Zealand

Fine example of the first state of Jan Cloppenburgh's double hemisphere map of the World, an important  map in the early mapping of Australia.

The first state of Cloppenburgh's map is particularly significant for its depiction of details from the early exploration and mapping of Australia and New Zealand, all before Abel Tasman's voyages in the mid 17th century, with the final state, issued in 1673, introducing information from Tasman.

Published in Cloppenburgh's expanded edition of Mercator's Atlas Minor, this is the final state of the map, with the western coast of Australia features prominently, making one of its earliest appearances on maps. Intriguingly labeled as T'lant van Eendracht, the map bears testament to early Dutch explorations of Australia's western coast. This label draws its origins from the ship 'Eendracht', or 'Harmony', which marked the initial recorded European landfall on the Western Australian coast in 1616. This represents a fascinating piece of early cartographic history, with Eendracht seen on other early maps as a preliminary name for the Australian continent.  

In the Eastern Hemisphere, one can observe several fascinating features. The source of the Nile in Africa is depicted as twin lakes located south of the equator, and Korea is represented as a slender peninsula. Meanwhile, the American continent illustrates numerous mountain ranges and expansive rivers, intriguingly without any depiction of the Great Lakes. In a more mythical touch, South America is portrayed with two imaginary lakes, Lacus Parime in Guiana, and Lacus Epana in Brazil.

This map is artistically enhanced with corner illustrations representing the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, and Biblical scenes above and below. Sea monsters and numerous miniature sailing ships add to the decorative elements that transport viewers back to an age of exploration and maritime folklore.  

 

Reference
Shirley, R.W. (World) 334; Schilder, G. (Australia) #33.
Jan Everts Cloppenburgh Biography

Johannes Cloppenburg (sometimes Cloppenburgh; also H. Jan Evertsz and Johannes Everhardus) was a Dutch cartographer. Based in Amsterdam, he was active between roughly 1610 and 1644. He worked closely with the Hondius/Jansson firm and is credited with the 1630 edition of the Atlas Minor.