"Africae Accurata Tabula", Visscher, Nicolas

This beautiful map of the African continent is typical of the late seventeenth century, including updated information taken from Blaeu's wall map of the continent. The Cuama and Spirito Santo rivers are shown with a common source in the Sachaf Lacus in South Africa. The Nile arises from the two lakes of Zaire and Zafflan, located below the Equator, as according to Ptolemy. The interior is decorated with elephants, ostriches, monkeys, lions, and rhinoceroses, and eleven small ships sail in the sea. The title cartouche is flanked by natives and angels, and in the lower left is a dedication cartouche with the coat of arms of Gerardo Schaep surrounded by Neptune and his entourage. This is the first state of the map with no notation of privilege at bottom.

References: Betz #87.1; Norwich #55.

Condition: B

A nice impression with original color. Light foxing and offsetting with a centerfold separation at bottom that enters 6" into map and a 1" tear in Angola, both of which have been archivally repaired. There are damp stains and numerous short edge tears along the sheet's edges, well away from map image.