Africae Accurata Tabula 

Original copperplate engraved map
Fine Handcolor (cartouche uncolored)
437 x 546 mm
Map # AF-276
$ 2,000

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The Visscher publishing firm comprised a prolific Dutch family of mapmakers, engravers, and publishers.  The founder of the firm was Claes Jansz. Visscher (1587-1652) who established himself in Amsterdam likely working for van den Keere and Hondius.  He issued several of his maps under the Latinized form of his name, Piscator.  From about 1620, he designed a number of individual maps but his first atlas consisted mostly of maps printed from plates purchased from van den Keere.  His son, Nicolaas Jansz. Visscher I (1618-1672) and grandson, Nicolaas Visscher II (1649-1702) issued a considerable number of atlases with new maps, including this map.  Among these were the Atlas Contractus and the Atlas Minor (actually in folio size).  Many of their maps also appeared in atlases produced by Janssonius.  The widow of Nicolaas Visscher II carried on the business until it finally passed to Pieter Schenk around 1717.

Various dates have been attributed to this map from as early as 1658 to 1690. What makes the process of dating Visscher’s maps so difficult is that the map is contained within composite atlases, often undated and often with manuscript title and contents pages.

The map is in two states as follows:
State 1   c.1658   Lacking the privilege
State 2   c.1677   With the privilege at bottom right (Visscher obtain his privilege in 1677)

This particular map is State 2 with the privilege (i.e. copyright at the bottom right of the map).  State 1 is scarce.  Both states of the map have an elaborate dedication in the lower left of the map to Gerard Schaep.  There were a number of derivatives of this Visscher map.

References:   Betz Map # 87.2.  Tooley, p. 119-120 . Norwich, map # 55.

Fine Condition overall.  Finger marks on bottom margin corners with light waterstain on bottom left margin.  Map image clean.