Description
Rare antique map of China by G. Mercator. Shows China with the Great Wall of China, Japan, Korea is still shown as an island and in the northeast with Alaska. From the scarce edition of the Mercator Atlas by J. Cloppenburch (also Cloppenburgh), printed in Amsterdam between 1630 and 1636. Its newly engraved maps were of a size (c. 19 x 25 cm) that fell in between the folio maps in the Mercator-Hondius Atlas (c. 35 x 50 cm) and the Atlas Minor (c. 15 x 20 cm). Engraved by the Dutch master engraver Pieter van den Keere (Petrus Kaerius). French text on verso.
Condition
Upper right corner backed, minor browning. Very good condition.
Cartographer
Gerard Mercator (Kremer) was born in Rupelmonde in Flanders and studied in Louvain. He drawn his first map in 1537 and became a cartographer and globe maker. In 1552 he moved to Duisburg, Germany where he published his famous 18-sheet world map in 1569 with his own new projection, today called Mercator projection. Later he decided to publish a new edition of Ptolemy's Geographia. Followed by his major work, a 3 volume collection of maps to which the word Atlas was applied the first time. The first volume was published 1585, followed by the second in 1589 and the third one after his death in 1595 by his son Rumold. A second edition of all three parts was published 1602. 1604 Jodocus Hondius acquired the plates and published several edition together with his sons Jodocus II and Henricus until 1633. More editions followed until 1666 by Janssonius who was in partnership with Henricus. Some of the plated where also used by W.J. Blaeu in 1630.
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Gerard Mercator: China.
Antique map of China. Printed in Amsterdam by Johannes Cloppenburch in 1630.
China - Mercator, Gerard - China