One of the Most Important 17th Century Maps of the Chesapeake Bay

"Nova Virginiae Tabula", Hondius/Schenk & Valck

This graphic map is Henricus Hondius' version of Capt. John Smith's important map of 1612, drawn from his brother's map of 1618. After the death of Jodocus Hondius in 1629, his widow sold a number of plates to Blaeu. Angry at the sale to a competitor, Henricus and Joannes Jansson engaged engravers to cut new plates, which were largely based on Jodocus' work. This is the 5th derivative of Smith's map. It is beautifully engraved with topographical features and the locations of scores of Indian villages. In the upper left corner is an engraving of the great Indian chief Powhatan seated on his throne and surrounded by his subjects. A Susquehanna chief, facing in toward Chesapeake Bay (opposite of Jodocus' plate), is depicted on the right under a coat of arms. In 1694, Petrus Schenk acquired all of the plates from the Atlas Major from Jansson's heirs and reissued them with his imprint. This example, with Schenk & Valck's imprint and a blank verso, is very uncommon.

References: Burden #228; Tooley (Amer) pp. 165-66; Van der Krogt (Vol. I) #9410:1.

Condition: B+

A nice impression with contemporary color on a sheet watermarked with "P Schenk." There is marginal soiling and archival repairs to two tiny tears in the image at top center and to centerfold separations confined to the blank margins.