One of the Earliest Printed Maps of Holland Produced in the Low Countries

Since its appearance as an Appendix in 1630, the atlas launched by Willem Blaeu and continued by his son Joan had expanded greatly. But despite many new regional maps the world map remained unchanged. For some reason, Joan Blaeu's important wall map of 1648 was not immediately adapted by his firm for atlas use.The New World map prepared by Joan Blaeu for his eleven-volume 'Atlas Maior' in 1662 is, unlike its predecessor, in two hemispheres. Outside the twin hemispheres at the top a...

Inverted maritime compass called "mouchard" (spy) in wood and brass, signed "A Van Vastenhoud In Amsterdam". This type of compass was found in the captain's cabin and hanging above the captain's bed. The captain was so able to see the direction when he was in his cabin. This example is mounted in a wooden box to keep it safe. The compass itself is mounted on brass gimbals to keep it steady on a moving ship. It has a single iron needle with a brass cap that rests on a spike projecting from the bo...

This very rare chart is important as the first printed sea chart of France's Mediterranean coast, also depicting Catalunya's northern coast, the Italian Cote d'Azur till San Remo and Corsica's west coast.Willem Barentsz (1560-1597) was a famous pilot, discoverer and cartographer. Author of 'Nieuwe Beschrhryvinghe ende caertboeck van de Midlantsche Zee', the first printed pilot-guide of the Mediterranean. It is considered the supplement of Waghenaer's 'Spieghel der Zeevaerdt' for the Mediterranea...

On either side columns depicting the manner of dress in the major countries of Europe, surmounted by nine city views and plans.For European mapmakers their own continent contained few mysteries or secrets by the seventeenth century. However, the mythical island of Frisland still appears between Iceland and Greenland. The map is decorated with ships and a sea monster on the sea, bears on northern Russia, and lions on North Africa.

Very rare political caricature map by Grossi of the nations of Europe, published in Bologna in the supplement of the newspaper "Le Perroquet / Al papagallo, N° 15, Anno VI.Known as the Octopus Map ; the brooding presence of the Russian Empire depicted as a massive octopus, whose tentacles stretch out towards Europe. In this map, the Octopus has Turkey, Persia and Poland but has been wounded by Crimea and is being fought off by Germany.This map, by Grossi, followed the style created by Frederick...