This finely engraved beautifully hand coloured original antique map of Asia was published by Gerard Mercator Jnr. in the 1609 French edition of Mercators Atlas.
We have 22 sales records of this map since 1983. The highest price paid is $3451 in 2004.
This map is from the original first engraved plate of Asia engraved for Gerard Mercator Snr. Atlas of 1595. It was not until 1633 did Henricus Hondius & Jan Jansson discontinue this map for a more contemporary one.
This map is in magnificent condition with fresh strong paper, heavy impression and fine hand colouring.

The map detail is borrowed from Abraham Ortelius who published an almost identical map in 1570. Japan is depicted as oval shaped with a chain of islands to the south, despite the inclusion of a much more accurate map in the same atlas; an island marked "Polus Magnetis" appears just above the Straits of Anian, away from a polar landmass; and north-west America appears, with two towns within the kingdom of "Quivera". Parts of western New Guinea and parts of NE & NW Australia are included bottom right.

After the sale of Mercator's plates to in 1605, Hondius continued to publish the original plates with little alteration until 1630 when along with Jansson. Many of the original plates were altered or re-engraved either decoratively or topographically or both. This map is from one of the last unaltered editions of Mercator's atlas. (Ref: Koeman, Tooley)

Condition Report:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - off white
Age of map color: - Original
Colors used: - Yellow, pink, green
General color appearance: - Authentic
Paper size: - 22in x 18in (560mm x 460mm)
Plate size: - 18 1/2in x 15in (470mm x 380mm)
Margins: - Min 1in (25mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - None
Verso: - None

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