Catalog Archive
Auction 134, Lot 388

"Groenland et les Nouvelles Terres Descouvertes vers le Septentrion", Briet, Philippe

Subject: North Atlantic, Greenland, Iceland

Period: 1649 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Black & White

Size:
7.5 x 5.8 inches
19.1 x 14.7 cm
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This small and very rare map was based on the information from Jens Munks' expedition of 1619-20. Munk was sent by Denmark's King Christian IV to seek a Northwest Passage to the Orient. He left from Copenhagen in May of 1619 with two ships. They entered Hudson Bay in late August and wintered near present-day Churchill, (noted on the map as Port d'hyver de Munk). They spent a terrible, scurvy ridden winter, during which nearly all of the 63 crew members died. Only two crewmen and Munk survived to return to Denmark. The map shows Hudson Bay named Mer Christiane after the Danish king, the mythical island of Frisland and with two inset with maps of Iceland and Spitzbergen. Latin text on verso with page number 187 at upper right.

References:

Condition: A

Very dark, early impression. The lower margin is close trimmed to near neatline with no loss and old paper laid in to extend the margin.

Estimate: $500 - $700

Sold for: $375

Closed on 12/1/2010

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