1587 / 1620 Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio Quam ex Magna Universali Mercatoris...

By: Gerard and Rumold Mercator / Published by Jodocus Hondius Date: 1587 / 1620 (published) Amsterdam Dimensions: 14 x 21 inches (35.5 x 53.25 cm)  This important and influential Mercator map of the world was first printed in Geneva in 1587 while Gerard Mercator was still alive, and again in 1620 by Jodocus Hondius. It is the only obtainable version of his world maps, as both the 1538 and 1569 versions are rarities, not available on the market. The map was directly influenced by Gerard himself and is an important element in the history of cartography due to its geography and its maker. Though the map uses double-hemisphere format rather than the Mercator Projection, it is in fact a reduced version of Gerard’s 1569 wall map of the world in which he introduced his famous projection. Australia and Tierra del Fuego are shown to be parts of an enormous southern continent, covering the entire Antarctic region, while above the Arctic Circle are four large islands which Gerard believed existed