Briet's Rare Small Map of the North Atlantic

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

This small and very rare map was based on the information from Jens Munk's 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). There 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, and the mythical island of Frisland. Two inset maps depict Iceland and Spitzbergen. This edition has no text on verso and page number 14 at upper right.

References: Pastoureau BRIET II #14.

Condition: A

There are a few tiny spots and minor printer's ink residue.