An uncommon English map of Bermuda

Anonymous.

Mappa Aestivarum...
London: Michael Sparke & Samuel Cartwright, 1635-7. Coloured. 165 x 230mm.

Narrow bottom margin, letterpress overlapping map on left, as issued.

A scarce map of Bermuda, based on Richard Norwood's map as published by John Speed in 1627, and published in ''Historia Mundi; or Mercator's Atlas''. This work was mostly illustrated with copper plates from the original 'Atlas Minor', engraved by Jodocus Hondius, sold by his heirs when new maps were cut. As there was no map of Bermuda among them Spark & Catrwright had a new one made, by an unknown engraver.
Norwood's map was responsible for a cartographical blunder that lasted for a century and a half. Along the top of the map is the outline of the American mainland with a miniature version of Bermuda to show the position of the islands against the mainland. Because the miniature is positioned so close to the main islands later cartographers, including Moll, Le Rouge and Zatta (in 1778!) mistook the miniature for an extra island.


Stock ID : 21820