Willem Blaeu's very decorative map of Chili with two large and beautiful cartouches, a compass and ships. From early on Willem Jansz. Blaeu aimed of publishing an atlas to compete with the Hondius-Janssonius Atlas. By 1630, he had published at least 17 folio size maps. Blaeu was able to realize his plan soon after he had acquired the copper plates of the atlas maps by Jodocus Hondius. The "Appendix followed in 1630.In 1635 he finally realized a "international edition" of a world atlas, the "The...

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF THIS MAP. Decorated with ships and monsters in the sea. Orientated with east at the top. With the signature of G. Blaeuw lower right corner. Shows the Pacific coast of South America from Ecuador (at the left-hand side) as far south as the Atacama desert in the northern reaches of Chile. "As early as 1520, Spanish settlers in Panama had heard tales of a powerful civilization rich in gold that lay to the south, and in 1522 an expedition was organized to find this land...

A very decorative map by Willem Blaeu with west is at the top. On the lower left a magnificent cartouche with a sitting female figure carrying a globe and compasses and the coat of arms of Brabant. The map encloses the area between the rivers Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt, with Namur (Namen) as the most southern town.

The coat of arms of Brabant and 's-Hertogenbosch do appear on the map. But the municipal arms in the columns on right and left-hand side have not yet been filled in. The map was prepared by Willibrordus van der Burgt.Considered one of the most decorative maps published by the publishing house of Blaeu.

FIRST STATE of Robert Dudley's general chart of the Persian Gulf, going east through India to the southeastern coast of China showing Macau and the area of present-day Hong Kong. The map goes south through the Philippines, passing through Borneo, the western part of Celebes (now Sulawesi, Indonesia). It also includes the Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago.This elegant sea chart is crisply engraved in the sparse Florentine style with superb calligraphy throughout. Very decorative chart from the ...

Decorative engraving of the fourth sea battle with the Portuguese fleet offshore at the Rio Grande, in 1640. Engraved by J. van Brosterhuyzen after a design by Frans J. Post (1612-1680). Below the engraving a numbered key (1-6). Signed in the plate "F. Post 1645" and decorative title cartouche, with "[Quartum praelium coniovian inter et fluvium Rio Grande XVII Jan" in the upper left corner.Taken from C. BARLAEUS, Rerum per octennium in Brasilia (...).

Prince Maurits' sailing carriages had been designed by Simon Stevin. The Prince, always accessible to new inventions of his old instructor, could not please the foreign ambassadors more than by inviting them for a ride in his carriage. The big sailing-carriage could seat 28 persons and could reach a speed of seven miles per hour. Land sailing : The Chinese had "wind-driven carriages" since the 6th century AD, during the Liang Dynasty, and eventually mounted masts and sails on large wheelbarrows....

Tweevoudigh onderwiis van de Hemelsche en Aerdsche Globen; Het een Na de meyning van Ptolemeus met een vasten Aerdkloot; Het ander Na de Natuerlijcke stelling van N. Copernicus met een loopenden Aerdkloot:Willem Blaeu's guide to the making of globes, first published in 1620, here reprinted by his son, Joan.The book consists of two parts; volume I : Astronomical principles of celestial and terrestrial globes based on the inadequate hypothesis of Ptolemy.Volume II : Astronomical principles of glob...

A bird's-eye view of the town. With extensive shipping in the foreground. From "Topographia Germaniae Inferioris". Matthäus Merian, the leading German illustrator of the 17th century, was born in Basel in 1593. He learned the art of copperplate engraving in Zurich and subsequently worked and studied in Strasbourg, Nancy, Paris, and the Low Countries. In 1618 he went to Frankfurt, wherein 1618 he marries the eldest daughter of J.T. de Bry, publisher and engraver. After de Bry died in 1623, he ...

Two decorative charts on one sheet, one depicting Texel and the entrance of the Zuider Zee with an inset showing the north coast of West-Friesland, the other depicting the river Maas as far inland as Rotterdam and the islands of South Holland.

An eye-catching chart of the Baltic Sea. Engraved by Gerard Coeck.Pieter Goos (ca. 1616-1675) was one of the most important cartographers, engravers, publishers and print sellers of Amsterdam. His widow continued business at her husband's death. She re-issued 'Nieuwe Groote Zee-Spiegel in 1676.The map is in a strictly contemporary coloring and of the highest level. 

An eye-catching chart of the western part of the Mediterranean Sea.Pieter Goos (ca. 1616-1675) was one of the most important cartographer, engraver, publisher and print seller of Amsterdam. His widow continued business at her husband's death. She re-issued the Nieuwe Groote Zee-Spiegel in 1676.In very decorative original colors. The compass rose and cartouche heightened with gold.The map is in a strictly contemporary coloring and of the highest level.

An eye-catching chart of northern Europe with a coastline from northern Russia to the Dutch English Channel in the south. Good detail on Iceland. North to the top.In the upper left corner an inset map of Spitzbergen. Illuminated manuscripts had often been produced in pen and wash with a very limited color range, and many artists such as Jean Pucelle and Matthew Paris specialized in such work, which had been especially common in England since Anglo-Saxon times.Renaissance artists such as Mantegna...

An eye-catching chart of Spain and Portugal, including a large part of Brittany and the southwestern coast of France, including Isle de Reé , Isle Saint Martin ...Pieter Goos (ca. 1616-1675) was one of the most important cartographers, engraver, publisher and print seller of Amsterdam. His widow continued business at her husband's death. She re-issued 'Nieuwe Groote Zee-Spiegel in 1676.The chart is in a strictly contemporary coloring and of the highest level.

A highly detailed and rare sea chart of the mouth of the Orinoco River, Trinidad, Tabago, St.Vincent and neighboring islands. Oriented with north to the right by two compass roses.A large inset shows Tobago on a larger scale. Taken from De Nieuwe Groote Lichtende Zee-Fakkel, Part IV.Decorative scale cartouche features Neptune with his entourage and natives with trade goods. The chart is further adorned with a monkey atop the title cartouche and a sailing ship.

Rare price list of meat, bacon, wheat, rye, butter, cheese, olive oil, Spanish wines, Bordeaux, brandy etc.On front page in letter press Lyste Van de Pryfen der Goederen, Ingekofst by de Kamer van de OOST-INDISCHE COMPAGNIE tot Gestelt na de datums van der zelver inkoop.Dated in manuscript 1685. Rare pricelist of articles purchased by the V.O.C. over the year 1685. Including large quantities of French wines!. Very rare.

Detailed map prepared by Nico ten Have.

Very fine brass astronomical equinoctial ring with two brass circles with engraved foliage decoration, signed "Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas Delure A Paris", on the hanger ring. The meridian ring is engraved with a latitude scale 90-0-90 degrees, reverse with a scale for determining solar altitude and zennith distance, an equinoctial ring with obverse engraved with hour scale in Roman numerals, the central bridge with pin-hole sliding over calendar and zodiac scales, 100 mm diam.Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas De...

The map describes the southern part of Limburg and reaches into Belgium (Liége, Verviers) and Germany. With two very decorative cartouches.