This is the second copperplate of Ortelius'.

Allegorical scene allegorical image celebrating the circumnavigation of the earth by Ferdinand Magellan. The image shows Magellan on board of his ship, surrounded by mythological figures including Apollo with sun and lyre, Zeus on his throne of clouds, Adam and Eve. A bird carrying an elephant and a depiction of the Tierra del Fuego.The image also includes cannon, banner with the double-headed Hapsburg eagle, anchor, broken mast, navigational instruments such as armillary sphere and dividers, se...

Columbus is standing in the bow of his ship, which is near the shore. He is clad in a long mantle and undercoat, while his armor lies at his feet, and his standard is floating from the foremast. Behind him is Minerva, carrying a spear and a shield with the head of Medusa in the center, presenting a laurel branch to Columbus.Behind the goddess is Mars in full armor, standing on the back of a turtle for a chariot, and drawn by three lions. Near him, are two Sirens, whilst at the head of the vessel...

Lantor is a kind of coconut palm (or Indian nut) with fronds as long as a human body. These fronds are used as paper. Pimenta del Rabo (or cubebe) grows grape-like on trees and is held in such esteem by the Indians that they cook and preserve them, rather than sell them to other countries. Also shown is the Tamarind tree or Assa, the plant Talasse grows in Java, and the Mangostan fruit and the black pepper is called ‘Sahang’ in Java.Theodore de Bry, a German engraver and book dealer, began a...

Map of Bermuda from the rare Cloppenburg edition slightly larger format and more scarce edition of the Mercator/Hondius "Atlas Minor". Engraved by Pieter Van Den Keere.The Cloppenburg edition "Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes De Fabrica Mundi Et Fabricati Figura", was continued for a couple of years but seems to have been suppressed after 1636 ... (Koeman Atlantes Neerlandici).Based on the 1595 Abraham Ortelius map, but with added decoration.

Map of Virginia from the rare Cloppenburg edition slightly larger format and more scarce edition of the Mercator/Hondius "Atlas Minor". Engraved by Pieter Van Den Keere.The Cloppenburg edition "Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes De Fabrica Mundi Et Fabricati Figura", was continued for a couple of years but seems to have been suppressed after 1636 ... (Koeman Atlantes Neerlandici).Based on the 1595 Abraham Ortelius map, but with added decoration.

Coastline of Venezuela with little interior development. Including Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, etc. Scarce map prepared by Hessel Gerritsz (1581-1632), former apprentice of Willem Blaeu, and Blaeu’s predecessor as chief cartographer of the Dutch East India Company. Gerritsz enjoys a very high reputation for his critical approach towards his sources.Most of Gerritsz’ work exists only in manuscript, and these maps published by de Laet, are among the only printed Gerritsz maps available to the co...

Scarce print with a German text sheet. Many Black slaves, weary of ill treatment, managed to escape Spanish captivity and freely wandered the island, breaking into prisons and recruiting other slaves. Soon they outnumbered the Spanish and sought revenge by killing some of them. After a meeting at the governor’s palace in Santo Domingo, many Spanish soldiers were sent out to quell the rebellion by catching the Blacks by night and hanging them from trees. The Blacks learnt from this to keep a lo...

Almagro returned to Cuzco, disillusioned and embittered from his long and fruitless journey south into Chile, where he had been searching for further wealth. This led to a split in the control of Peru between the Pizarrists, who held the coastal regions, and the Almagrists who held the Cordillera. Further quarreling culminated in a battle just outside Cuzco in 1538, known as Las Salinas, which the Pizarrists eventually won. Almagro was subsequently garrotted and his captain, Orgóñez, beheaded....

In 1624 a heavily armed Dutch fleet sailed from the Juan Fernandez Islands to Lima. The leader of the fleet, Jacob l’Hermite, was in such poor health that he had to hand over command to Admiral Jacobson. The fleet anchored outside the harbour near the island of San Lorenzo (‘I. de Lima’). The port was full of Spanish ships and was too well protected for a direct confrontation so, on the night of 11th May, the Dutch carried out a daring and devious plan. In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inh...

A brutal scene depicting native Indians tying down Spanish men and pouring liquid gold down their throats. Scenes of cannibalism in the background.In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inherited the Theodor De Bry’s publishing firm, among the illustrated accounts of the expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Balboa, Raleigh, Drake, Smith, and many others.Gottfried issued together with Matthaeus Merian a one-volume condensation "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jnhaltende Warhaff...

A graphic scene of fighting and extreme violence. One man is seen covered in feathers, before being sacrificed and killed before the Brazilian tribe of Tupinamba. In 1631 Johann Ludwig Gottfried, inherited the Theodor De Bry’s publishing firm, among the illustrated accounts of the expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, Vespucci, Cortes, Balboa, Raleigh, Drake, Smith, and many others.Gottfried issued together with Matthaeus Merian a one-volume condensation "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jn...

Two engravings. [514] On 29th May, 1615, Spilbergen’s fleet anchored further north, off an island called Santa María that was separated by a narrow stretch of water (A), from Punta Lavapié on the mainland. Four of the ships (I) anchored in the bay, while the fifth (H) anchored closer. The Dutch went ashore in small boats (F), where they saw Spanish soldiers on horseback (B), so they arranged themselves for battle (C). There were several confrontations (E), during which many Dutchmen died but...

Two engravings. [470] The funeral of an Inca king was a ceremony of great splendor. After digging a large pit, the Indians would decorate the corpse with gold and silver then bury it with many fine ornaments, along with good food and wine to help it on its way into the next world. Benzoni so described the burial of Huayna-Capac, whose grave he said was on the border of the province of Quito. When the Spanish first went to Peru, they discovered and pillaged many such graves.[469] Much of Ecuador ...

A fine map of Tierra del Fuego. With an explanatory text of the passage by Barent Jansz. Potgieter who accompanied captain Sebald de Weert to the Straits in 1599/1600, being the first Dutch vessels to sail through the Strait of Magellan, in Latin and Dutch.After various English voyages, the Dutch appeared in the Strait of Magellan in 1599. One of the Dutch pioneering voyages to the Southwest was the one by Jacques Mahu and Simon de Cordes, who were sent out by Rotterdam merchants. The five ships...

When the Spanish arrived in Cajamarca, they found only a few inhabitants. The Inca army was camped in the surrounding hills and the residence of the Inca king, Atahualpa, was a few miles away, so de Soto went ahead to meet him and to announce the arrival in the town of Pizarro and his troops. As de Soto approached, he pulled his stallion to a halt in front of Atahualpa and the foam from the horse’s mouth was said to have flown into the face of the Inca king. Many of the nobles, who had never s...

Scarce print with a German text sheet showing Cavendish’s fleet anchor at a place called Morro Moreno, on the coast of Chile. The Indians came down from the high cliffs to greet the voyagers and brought with them firewood and fresh water as a sign of friendship. Later the English were taken to their homes, which were made from two sticks in the ground, with others laid across and covered with straw. The whole family, including children, lay underneath on animal skins. They were skilled fisherm...

Scarce print with German text sheet showing the Dutch attack on Praia.On 27th June 1589, Simon de Cordes left Holland with five ships, bound for the Magellan Straits. On reaching Santiago - one of the Cape Verde Islands, they decided to loot the fortress at Praia. This stood on top of a high rock whose only approach was by a narrow stairway with 175 steps. At the time the fortress was occupied by the Portuguese, under a Spanish commander. On landing, however, the Dutch were entertained by some o...

Murder of Dominican monks in Cumana or Cubagua Island in what is now Venezuela. Scarce print (150x177mm.) on a German text sheet taken from a first edition of Johann Ludwig Gottfried's "Newe Welt Vnd Americanische Historien/ Jnhaltende Warhafftige vnd volkommene Beschreibungen Aller West-Indianischen Landschafften…" published by M.Merian in 1631.

Two engravings. [486] After Atahualpa was killed, Pizarro set out with his troops to find the city of Cuzco, which he had heard was rich in gold. The journey from Cajamarca to Cuzco by road was nearly a thousand miles and took three months. Although there was considerable resistance to the Spanish during this long march, the final descent into the great city, in November 1533, was in fact, not as portrayed but a relatively peaceful affair. [485] While Atahualpa was still held captive rumors spre...