"America Noviter Delineata", Merian, Matthaus

Merian prepared this reduced version of his 1631 map for the German translation of Pierre d'Avity's Les Empires du Monde and it accompanied other works of the period including Theatrum Europaeum. It is one of the many derivatives of Jodocus Hondius' map of 1618. North America is depicted with a prominent Virginia and an odd New England coastline. The western coastline above California makes the continent entirely too wide, and there is an odd, dramatic bulge around Mendocino. There is only a hint of the Great Lakes. There is a large inland lake in equatorial South America. Greenland, Iceland and the fictitious Frislandia are shown in a small inset map. Strapwork title cartouche, sea monsters and Spanish galleons decorate the map. Merian's imprint is located at lower right.

References: Burden #251.

Condition: B+

A dark impression on watermarked paper with attractive color, light soiling, and minor professional repairs along the centerfold. An extraneous horizontal crease and a printer's crease at top have been pressed flat, with a minor amount of image within the printer's crease replaced in facsimile. Remargined at right and left to accommodate framing.