MAP 149

Antique Map “America Noviter Delineata”, 1634 Rare Stunning!

 This remarkable map has an equally remarkable history: There are five “states” and at least one “pirate”.

Our copy is state 3, NOT the rarest state, but it is still VERY RARE.

Abebooks: 

(1)   has described the map and the “states”; and

(2)   has a 4^th State copy [$3,194.61 plus $44.93 shipping from the Netherlands]. 

“America Noviter Delineata This important map was first published in 1618 by Jodocus Hondius. Cartographically, this map influenced a generation of cartographers and was the basis of understanding the Americas for the first half of the 17th century. When first issued, the map was surrounded by four panels, figures on the sides and Views on the top and bottom. 

“The plate was trimmed, removing the panels by Henricus Hondius c.1630. The map had a long life appearing in atlases up to 1665, This map is noted for its elegant engraving and pleasing layout, with fleets of ships and sea monsters, and two inset maps one showing the Arctic Circle and the other showing Greenland. The North Pole depicts Frobisher's theory of the Northwest Passage and the South Pole shows the long-held notion of the mythical southern continent. North America retains the peninsular California and the East Coast is beginning to take shape, although it still lacks detail in the mid-Atlantic region. In the Southwest the famous seven cities of Cibola appear on the banks of a large lake. In South America, there is a large inland sea and two engraved scenes, one of which details a cannibalistic feast. 

“Two stylized insets of the two polar regions are enclosed in strapwork cartouches. Size: 37,5 x 49,8 cm (plus margins). 

“The copperplate that produced this map was originally prepared by Jodocus Hondius Jr. in 1618.This issue, known in three examples, has decorative borders on all four sides. 

“There is a 2nd state in c1629-30 with no decorative borders. 

“A 3rd state was produced by Henricus Hondius in 1631.

“The map depicted here is the 4th state with the imprint of Janssonius and the addition of the date of 1641.

“There was a 5th state in 1652 with the date and the Hondius imprint removed. (Burden, p. 235-6). 

“This map has German text on the verso describing America. This map is from Johannes Janssonius' Atlas of 1646-57 with a signature on the verso of "Aaa", based on van der Krogt (p. 715). An earlier version of this map was produced by Henricus Hondius in 1631. Through the collaboration between Hondius and Janssonius (they were brothers-in-law), Hondius' map was replaced by Janssonius' map in 1641. Henricus Hondius had died in 1638. Reference: Burden map #192. Size: 37,6 x 49,9 cm.”

See Photo # 14 for a screen shot

Abebooks  had a 5^th State copy [$3,500] 

“We're sorry; this specific copy is no longer available. 

Description:

“Copper-engraved map, with period hand-colouring in outline. Insets of each polar region, both oceans embellished with ships and sea monsters. French text on verso. The celebrated Hondius map of the Americas. Originally issued by Jodocus Hondius Jr. in 1618, this map of the Americas was modified by Henricus Hondius following his brother's death. The original map was based on Jodocus Hondius the elder's map of 1606, along with the Willem Blaeu maps of 1608 and 1617. The map would form Europe's geographical understanding of North and South America for the first half of the 17th century. Several major corrections have been made compared to the 1606 Hondius map. The St. Lawrence Bay and River are much improved, and at the opposite end, Tierra del Fuego has been separated, however nebulously, from the great Terra Incognita, thought (correctly) to exist since ancient times. The rather assertive outgrowth of Virginia in the 1606 map has been modified to reflect more accurately the eastward swelling at North Carolina. 

“Interestingly, Henricus Hondius' next map of North America (1636) adopted the increasingly popular notion that California was an island, and greatly advanced that belief. The present copy an example of Burden's fifth state, without the border found only on the first state of 1618, with Jansson's imprint at the lower right, and with the date and Hondius imprint removed from the cartouche. Burden, The Mapping of North America.”  Photo # X is a screen shot.

Barry Lawrence Ruderman, Antique Maps Inc.  Has a “state 5” copy: [$2,800]

“Nice example of the Hondius-Jansson Map of North America, first published in 1618.

“The map includes a marvelous peninsular California with the Northwest Coast of America stretching almost due westward toward Asia, with over 30 place names. The Rio Grande flows into the Gulf of California and the 7 cities of Cibola are shown.

“The map also displays an unusual east coast of North America, packed full of placenames, including Chesdpiooc (Chesapeake), Sanawanook, Hatoraske (Hatteras); Charlefort, Cap de S. Roman, etc. The Great Lakes are not yet shown, nor does Long Island appear.

“The map depicts an oversized South America, with Indians and animal vignettes in the interior. Includes sailing ships, sea monsters and other decorations.

“The present edition of the map is state 5, which can be distinguished from earlier editions by the inclusion of Jansson's name below the title cartouche (first added in 1641) and the removal of Hondius' name and date (1641).”

My comment:

The easiest way of checking our “America noviter delineate” against all the other versions of this map (and it went through many versions) is to focus on the title cartouche in the lower right hand corner.  If it sits on skulls and has no name after the map’s title: “America noviter delineate”: it is our map. After that you can amuse yourself by looking at how the sailing ships in the seas moved through the lettering on the seas!

Guide to the photographs

Photo #1, the main photo, is our map, framed. (You do not have to buy the frame.)

Photo #2 is our map cropped to omit the frame and the margins, which are FULL 

Photo #3, #4, #5 & 6 are also of our map.  

(Photo #6 is the “key” to identifying the “state” of the edition – 

See Abebooks’ explanation above --- Our map is state 3.)

Photo #7 is the same state as our map! But not colored.

Photo #8 is a download from the New York Public Library. (This is state 1)

Photo #9 is a download from the Library of Congress. (This too is state 1)

Photo #10 is a screenshot from Abebooks. (This is state 5.)

Photo #11 is a screenshot of a “Pirate” state c 1650. (It is here just to show the RANGE of images for this basic map.)

Photo #12 and #13 are from websites (e.g. BLR) who had State 1 images – in case you want to SEE what $15,000 can buy,

Photo #14 is an Abebooks image for a state 4 map ($3,195)

Guest Editor:

I, Harald Leuba, am listing this map on eBay with the permission of the eBay account holder, my wife of 56 years, Nancy Kingsbury, aka "Showjudge".  

Nancy is worried about how to find homes for our "stuff" when I die -- >  if I die before her.

We have enjoyed living with this map framed on the walls of our home, but as I age, (I am now 86), I feel that I ought to protect IT from becoming lost in some 2^nd hand store and, more importantly, I want to protect Nancy from having to cope with how to harvest its reasonable value in a time of personal stress.

                          Yes, in other words, we are downsizing.

 ......

I bought this map from John Faupel, Antique Atlas, East Grinstead, UK some 25 years ago.

John listed this map as: #37 in his catalog #96.

I have misplaced the catalog, but he titled the map as:

Merian, M “America noviter delineata” Hanau.

If you put Merian, M “America noviter delineata” 

into Google, you get 549 hits. 

The first one (today) is from the New York City Library:

Their map looks like ours, except that it is uncolored.

The New York City Library describes their map as:

“America, nouiter delineata”

Merian, Matthaeus, 1593-1650

Dates/Origin

         Place: Francofvrti ad Moenum

         Publisher: Sumptibus M, Meriani

         Date issued: 1634

[link removed by eBay]

The easiest way of checking our “America noviter delineate” against all the other versions of this map (and it went through many versions) is to focus on the title cartouche in the lower right hand corner.  After that you can amuse yourself by looking at how the sailing ships in the seas moved through the lettering on the seas!

Our map has original hand color throughout, no “scuffs”, or stains! 

The map lies flat. 

The map surface is lovely and bright and clean, No offsetting or darkening. 

A stunning map, matted and framed in glass: 

The frame is 25 ½ in x 22 in; the etching imprint is 17 ½ x 14.  

..... 

If you are interested enough in maps to be considering one of this value, you know that the plates for antique maps were often reused/reprinted/recycled/revised and that there are many different (related) versions available today. You will also know that maps were not usually stand-alone images. They appeared in bibles, histories, and even atlases! 

Last October, Barry Ruderman came to our house to look at our maps with a view to his acquiring our whole collection.  He was warmly professional and lived up to his reputation for expertise.  He said that our maps had been well cared for and were in good condition.

He put an estimated market value on this map of $1,500.

--> if he were to offer it for sale in his business.

{Of course, since he has to make a profit in his business, he did not offer us that much!}

I am listing this map here at his selling price ->  but you can offer less than that!

Take a look and make an offer.

.....

Our map was professionally framed, but the framer made no restoration or repair – none was needed. 

The map is in excellent condition!

If you want THIS map, I will ship it framed ($188) or unframed ($18), and -> if you live within an hour of Washington, DC you MAY come by and collect it - or ask me to deliver it free.

Please help us find a new home for this treasure.

Thank you for looking.

Harald & Nancy

 P.S. Inflation? NO!   When I bought my first map, there was silver in our US coinage.  When I was in college, I could buy a gallon of gas for a silver quarter and mail a letter home for 4ç.  I can STILL buy a gallon gas for the value of that silver quarter, and postage is now 60ç.  Antique maps have doubled in price in the last ten years.  Are they a store of value?  I think so, but whether they are or not, they can be an increasing source of pleasure.  

P.P.S I am using the proceeds of this sale, not to add “dollars” to my bank account, but to support local charities (to help neighbors who have lost income due to covid)!

             We hope you enjoy your purchase, and have warm feelings from helping others,

    You will be helping us support mortgage payments for LAT, BR, A&D and GD.  And: giving us the comfort of knowing that our pretty map will go to a new home where it will be appreciated – and appreciate!