Catalog Archive
Auction 185, Lot 430

One of the Rare Antique Maps Published Exclusively by a Woman

"Europae Descriptio Nova ", Seile, Anae

Subject: Europe

Period: 1663 (dated)

Publication: Cosmographie in Foure Books...

Color: Hand Color

Size:
16.5 x 13.1 inches
41.9 x 33.3 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

Anae Seile's rare map of Europe is based on her husband Henry Seile's map of 1652. 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 depicts the continent in great detail and includes Iceland and the mythical island of Frisland. This non-existent island led to considerable confusion in the mapping of Greenland and Baffin Island in the following centuries. The starkly mapped region of Russia includes some interesting notations. A sea battle, sea monsters, and a decorative title cartouche make this an attractive map.

References:

Condition: B+

Issued folding on watermarked paper with narrow, but adequate, side margins as issued. There are a few tiny wormholes near the top of the map image and some light spots.

Estimate: $300 - $375

Sold for: $240

Closed on 11/17/2021

Archived