Catalog Archive
Auction 187, Lot 9

"Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica Ac Hydrographica Tabula", Hondius/de Jonghe

Subject: World

Period: 1664 (dated)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:
22.1 x 15.6 inches
56.1 x 39.6 cm
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This is a later state of Hondius' double-hemisphere map of the world, which was first issued circa 1625 and was the first map to show the Dutch discoveries in western Australia taken from the Hessel Gerritsz manuscript map of the Indian Ocean from 1622. Several short portions of coastline have been added along with five place names: Iacop Remmer Rivier, Dirck Hartogs rec, F Houtmans acbroo[?]levs, Dedelis landt, and T. Lant van Eendracht. Two of these place names (Dirck Hartogs rec and T. Lant van Eendracht) refer to Dirk Hartog's discoveries of land in 1616 aboard the ship Eendracht ("Unity"). Two others (F Houtmans atbroo levs and Dedelis landt) are based is based on Frederick de Houtman's 1619 discovery of the islands now known as Houtman Abrolhos and another stretch of land that was named after Jacob Dedel, Councillor of the East Indies, who was on the voyage with Houtman.

Hondius also amended the shape of the North American continent, which is much narrower than on his previous maps, and California is shown as a peninsula. There are a number of early place names in North America, including Quivira Regn, Florida, and Anian, in addition to a number of fictitious names. South America is still misshapen and includes the two mythical lakes: an unnamed Lake Parime with the golden city of Manoa on its northern shore in Guyana, and Lacus Epana in Brazil. Geographical inaccuracies continue in Asia, with Korea depicted as an island, spurious lakes and rivers in China and Southeast Asia, rudimentary outlines of the islands in the East Indies, and only the northern coast of New Guinea. The large southern continent that appeared on Hondius' other maps is completely gone and is replaced with a number of sailing ships. The map is also decorated with sea monsters and compass roses. An unusual and decorative feature of this map are the curved lines radiating from the compass roses, which some believe are isolines, or the lines of magnetic declination, and would signify an early depiction of this concept.

Hondius' map had a long life with six known states; this being from state 3 published by Clement de Jonghe. This example is lacking the surrounding allegorical scenes that filled the spaces between the hemispheres and the border.

References: Shirley #433.

Condition: A

The map, cartouche and title have been salvaged and inset into surrounding borders of old laid paper with a facsimile border. The workmanship of this restoration is simply amazing, as the paper joints are only visible from the verso. The resulting map, though quite different in appearance, is very attractive and in excellent condition.

Estimate: $2,400 - $3,000

Sold for: $1,600

Closed on 4/27/2022

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