Amsterdam, (1606) 1619

NOVA | AFRICÆ | TABULA | AUCTORE | Jodoco Hondio.  [and at bottom right of map]:  Excusum in aedibus Auctoris | Amsterodammi.

Original copperplate printed map
Original Color
37.5 x 50 cm.
Map # AFS-081       
$2,500

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Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) was the founder of the famous 17th century Dutch map publishing family.  Hondius, along with sons Jodocus II and Henricus and son-in-law Jan Janssonius, was prominent in Dutch cartography and competed with the emerging Blaeu family map business. 

When Jodocus Hondius acquired the copperplates of the Mercator atlas and decided to re-issue them in 1606, he prepared this map for inclusion in his Atlas sive Cosmographicae......  along with the Mercator Africa map.  This map is based on the Mercator map of Africa but the coastline, particularly of Madagascar, was considerably altered.  Hondius also provided more detailed information in southern Africa (he inserted Saldanha Bay and Cape Falco and removed Ortelius' reference to Cayneca).  Of particular interest, Hondius shows Portuguese exploration up the unnamed Cuama (Zambezi) River into the interior of south central Africa in the region of Monomotapa (Tooley, p. 54).  "Cast. Portugal" (the Portuguese Fort) is placed on the map within the junction of the Spirito and Cuama rivers.

This 1606 map was later changed and re-issued by Hondius' son, Henricus, in 1631, at which time it ceased to be used.  This particular map is from the French edition of 1619.

References:  Betz, Map # 52.  Norwich Map #27.  Tooley, R.V. Collectors' Guide to Maps of the African Continent and Southern Africa. London: Carta Press, 1969. p. 53-54.   Krogt, Peter van der,. Koeman's Atlantes Neerlandici, vol. 1. 't Goy-Houten: HES Publishers,1997. p 711.

Fine Condition overall, with repaired separation at bottom centerfold within margin only.