An Early Edition of Ortelius' classic early image of Africa:  Africae Tabula Nova Edita Antverpiae 1570.

Original copperplate engraved map
Original Color
374 x 502 mm
Map # D-3
$ 3,200

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Geographically, it is a close copy of Gastaldi’s map of 1564 and follows the Ptolemaic view of the Nile.  It generally replaced Sebastian Munster's widely circulated map of Africa.   Ortelius' map was modern in appearance, compared to Munster and others, and remained the standard map of Africa well into the 17^th century (Tooley, p. 88).  The map contains a superb vignette of a naval battle on bottom right, and various sea monsters.  

The Theatrum Orbis Terrarum was the first atlas that produced a uniform series of maps of the world.  The publication of the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum  can be considered the starting point for over 100 years of Dutch supremacy in the production of beautiful maps and atlases.  

Through our recent research, we have identified six states of Ortelius' map of Africa.  We believe this map is from the second state of 1570.  In this state, in some copies of the 1570 Latin B and C versions and in all later editions, BI=LE=DUL= | GERID. is now present above and below the Tropic of Cancer.  At 20° and 30° South, at the right side gridline, the latitude lines still do not extend to the outer decorative border, which is the same as in the first state.   In the third state of 1584, the latitude lines now do extend to the outer decorative border at 20° and 30° south, at the right side gridline. 

Even though there is a pencil notation on the map margin indicating that this map is from a Latin edition of 1574, we believe this map is from a Latin edition of 1573.  On the verso of this map, there is a large page “4” and the last line of text, nymi Fracastorij., is centered like the 5 lines above it.

References:  Our Research.  van den Broecke reference and map # 8. Tooley’s Guide to Maps of Africa, p 88. Norwich, map # 10.  Krogt, Peter van der. Koeman's Atlantes Neerlandici, vol. 3 (Ortelius). 't Goy-Houten: HES Publishers, 2003.

Very Fine condition.  Strong, clean map impression with no problems to the paper.  We have been told that this map is in original color; the color is very attractive.