The first issue of an important map of North America

HONDIUS, Henricus.

America Septentrionalis.
Amsterdam: Jan Jansson, 1636, First Edition, Latin text. Fine original colour. 470 x 555mm.

A fine dark impression.

A highly decorative map of North America, important for disseminating the misconception of California as an island than any other.
This was the first map titled 'North America' in a folio atlas, with earlier maps showing both North and South America. It shows from the Arctic Circle down to Raleigh's 'Parime Lacus' and 'Manoa o el Dorado' in South America. Only one Great Lake is depicted, Ontario (Lac des Iroquois'); California is shown with a flat northern coast and four islands in the gulf; and the unknown regions to the north are hidden under a fine title cartouche in full colour.
Although John Speed's map of America showed California as an island a decade earlier, it was only published with an English text. Hondius's map, printed in several languages, reached further across Europe.
The map first appeared in volume three of the 'Atlas Novus' in 1636, with the same printing used for the second Latin edition in 1638. By 1641 Jan Jansson had added his signature to the blank cartouche lower right.

McLAUGHLIN: 6; BURDEN: 245, first state of three; 'beautifully engraved'. KOEMAN: 1:401.3A, with atlas titlepage date of 1636 changed to 1638.
Stock ID : 22862