1685 Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula

Scarce second state of Danckerts ornate world map that was based upon De Wit’s map of 1668  This fine map of the world features numerous cartographic curiosities, including California as an island, the beginnings of several coastlines in the Pacific, both real and fictitious, false lakes in South America, Africa, and Asia, and a complete absence of Antarctica. In North America, the Great Lakes are open ended to the west as is Hudson Bay, suggesting potential Northwest passages. Surrounding the map are four allegorical scenes paying tribute to the elements of Fire, Earth, Wind and Water. Polar projections are presented both above and below. Justus Danckerts (1635 – 1701) was a Dutch engraver and print maker whose family ran one of the primary map and atlas publishing houses in Amsterdam during a time that can be considered the renaissance era of modern cartography. Justus was the son of Cornelius Danckerts who established the business. His two sons Theodorus and Cornelius II continued t