One of the Rare Antique Maps Published Exclusively by a Woman

"Americae Nova Descriptio", Seile, Anae

This map of the Americas is based on Henry Seile's map of 1652 (Anae's husband). For unknown reasons, after Henry's death his plates passed to his business partner, Philip Chetwind. Lacking the original plates, Anae enlisted Robert Vaughan to engrave this new plate for her own publication of Heylin's Cosmography. Therefore, this is one of the few maps published exclusively by a woman, with her own imprint. The map is very similar to the earlier map, although the nomenclature of the Delaware River, Carolina and several places on the west coast have been changed. It depicts California as an Island and features no Great Lakes. It is decorated with a title cartouche, sea monsters, and sailing ships.

References: Burden #379; McLaughlin #35; Tooley (America) p.115, #12.

Condition: B

Issued folding with several worm tracks and some light staining along the upper centerfold. There are narrow margins on all sides, which is very common for this map.