The second view of the Portuguese Re-Supply Point of St Helena in the south Atlantic:   Vera effigies et delineatio Insulae Sanctae Helenae qua...……… Baptista a Doetichum sculp.

Original copperplate printed map
Uncolored as issued
309 x 478 mm
Map # AF-446
$ 775

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The map shows three detailed views of the island:  the town,  landing places, etc.  This was done as a guide to show how the island looked as approached from the sea; a compass rose below each view provides sailing directions.  The safe harbor was on the northern side of the island.  A ship in the harbor in bottom view flies the Portuguese standard.  Elaborate cartouches dominate the upper part of the map.  Text in Latin and in Dutch.  Engraved by Baptista van Doetichum. 

Jan Huygen van Linschoten (1562-1611) was employed as Secretary to the Portuguese Archbishop of Goa in India from 1583.  Here, he had access to many Portuguese portolans as well as other valuable commercial information.  Linschoten returned to Holland in 1592 and there wrote a history of his years of travel, the Itinerario..., which incorporated all that he had learned from the Portuguese.  This book and the accompanying maps provided precise information on the Portuguese sea routes to the East,  their re-supply points around Africa, and their trading stations in the East.  The book had a tremendous influence on Dutch expansion in the East and particularly in Java.

This map appeared in Linschoten's book published in Dutch in 1596, in Latin in 1599, English in 1598, French in 1610, 1619, & 1638 and again in Dutch in 1605, 1614, 1623 & 1644 (Tooley, p. 67).  As there is no text on verso, it is difficult to precisely date this map.  The engraver for this map was Baptista van Doetechum.

References:  Schilder, Gunter, Monumenta Cartographica Neerlandica, vol VII (we highly recommend this book; chapter X is devoted to Linschoten).  Linschoten, Discours of Voyages into Y East & West Indies,  Facsimile of the London 1598 edition. Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Amsterdam, 1974.  Tooley, Guide to Maps of Africa, p.67.

Fine condition overall.  A few seemlessly repaired separations.  Issued with the usual folds for insertion into the book.  Complete margins in this example (often Linschoten maps & views were trimmed into the neatline to fit in the book).   The St Helena image is quite strong.   This map has not been backed, which often happens with Linschoten's charts and views.