"[Spice Islands]", Valentyn, Francois

This is a superb map of the important Spice Islands including Baru, Ambon, the western part of Seram. A large inset shows the Hoamoal peninsula with a key showing the Dutch plantations and the VOC fortresses in Hitu, Haruku and Saparua. The Dutch controlled this region and its important clove, nutmeg and mace production for most of the seventeenth century. Valentyn was an prominent historian of the Dutch East India Company who is best known for Oud en Nieuw Oost Indien, his vast illustrated account of the Dutch trading empire in Asia. He twice traveled to the East Indies and served as Calvinist minister to Ambon between 1686 and 1694. In preparing this monumental work, he was given privileged access to the previously secret archives of the VOC, containing transcripts and copies of important earlier Dutch voyages.

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Condition: A

Narrow, but adequate, original side margins.