Antique Maps Leen Helmink Antique map of America by Mercator - Hondius Click here or on the image for high resolution photos and scans. MAKER Mercator - Hondius TITLE Americae Descrip. ATLAS Mercator Atlas Minor PLACE ISSUED Amsterdam FIRST EDITION 1607 THIS EDITION 1609 SIZE (hxw cms) 15.0 x 19.5 AREA SHOWN America ENGRAVER Jodocus Hondius TECHNIQUE Copper engraving VERSO German text PAGE NUMBER 22 SIGNATURE [none] COLOURING colored SPECIFICS Strong early impression. Insignificant old repair to the back of the outer lower margin, far outside the printed area. A very good to excellent example of this important map, from the 1609 German edition. In attractive later hand color, executed in the proper style and techniques of the period. CONDITION The overall quality of this antique map is very good REFERENCES Koeman Me 186 map 5, this example Me187 map 5. Burden 153. (Bibliography) BACKGROUND Map of the Americas from the 1609 German edition of Jodocus Hondius' Atlas Minor, a reduction of the 1606 Mercator-Hondius folio map. "Shortly after the publication of the big folio-atlases the need was apparantly felt for a smaller-sized atlas, one that would be handier, and, above all, cheaper, so that a larger public might have access to the use of maps. The publication of the 'Atlas Minor' appeared to be a great success for Hondius; the first Latin edition was in great demand. The copperplates of the first atlases minor were most probably made by Hondius himself. After 1621, the copperplates of the 'Atlas Minor' were sold to a London editor. Firstly, they appeared in 'Purchas his Pilgrinies', printed in 1625 by William Stansby for Henry Featherstone. Next they were used for the translation of the Mercator-atlas, printed in small folio under the title 'Historia mundi, or Mercators atlas', by Thomas Cotes for Michael Sparke and Samuel Cartwight in 1635." (Koeman). "As with the 'Theatrum' of Abraham Ortelius, Jodocus Hondius planned a reduced size version of Gerard Mercator's folio atlas. Just one year after his first edition he published his Latin text 'Atlas Minor' in collaboration with Jan Jansz. and Cormelis Claesz. The arrangement between these three is not understood clearly but Hondius is believed to have been the owner of the copperplates. Cartographically this is taken directly from the folio map by Hondius in 1606 entitled 'AMERICA'. with the inevitable loss of detail due to the reduction. The initial 'S' in the lower right [of the America map] probably represents the unidentified engraver." (Burden 153). GUARANTEE We do not sell reproductions. We guarantee that this is a genuine and original antique map that was published on or near the given date. A certificate of authentication is provided on request. Price € 525 Antique Maps Leen Helmink