Mercator's Spectacular Map of Asia in Full Original Color

"Asia ex Magna Orbis Terre Descriptione Gerardi Mercatoris Desumpta, Studio et Industria", Mercator, Gerard (the younger)

Derived from the elder Mercator’s world map of 1569, this map of Asia was engraved by his grandson. The coasts of Northeast Asia and Northwest North America are separated by Gastaldi's fabled Strait of Anian. South of this strait a beautifully engraved galleon gives speculation to the possibility of a northern route to Asia. Sumatra has a curiously archaic outline, while the relationship between New Guinea and Terra Australis is left to the viewer's imagination. The place names, Beach, Regio, Lucach and Maletur are all taken from Marco Polo's account, but erroneously ascribed to locations in the vicinity of present-day Australia. French text on verso.

References: Yeo #13; Parry #3.13, Van der Krogt (Vol. I) 8000:1A.

Condition: B+

In striking original color on watermarked paper with an extraneous crease parallel to the centerfold that runs the length of the sheet, an edge tear at top that just enters the neatline and has been closed with archival tape, and faint foxing that is mostly confined to the blank margins.