Sea Monsters

From the Middle Ages until the 17th century, sea monsters, marine beasts, dragons and strange creatures appeared on maps and charts. They indicate unexplored areas and made unknown oceans seem strange and threatening. These monsters served as decoration or referred to famous myths. Here you will find original antique and old maps decorated with these fascinating and visually engaging sea monsters and unnatural creatures.

Francois de Belleforest: Negroponte
Nicolas Chesneau, Michel Sonnius, Paris, 1575
A very scarce early woodcut map of Euboea (Negroponte). Below and verso description of Euboea. Ruled in brown ink.The map was published in the French edition of the Cosmographia Universalis...
Negroponte
1575 - Francois de Belleforest
11315
Antique woodcut map of Negroponte, Euboea. Printed in Paris by Nicolas Chesneau, Michel Sonnius in 1575.

450,00 €
Details
Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer: Zee Custe van Sweeden otrent de Westerwijck en tgatt vann Stockholm... Kalmar... en Rookoe
Cornelis Claesz, Amsterdam, 1583
Rare sea chart of the east coast of Sweden from the Zeespieghel by Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer. Shows the coastline between Kalmar, Kalmarsund, the northern part of Öland up to Stockholm. Splendidly...
Zee Custe van Sweeden otrent de Westerwijck en tgatt vann Stockholm......
1583 - Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer
12409
Coloured sea chart of Sweden. Printed in Amsterdam by Cornelis Claesz in 1583.

1 900,00 €
Details
Abraham Ortelius: Larii Lacus vulgo Comensis Descriptio / Territorii Romani Descrip. / Fori Iulii vulgo Friuli Typus
Antwerp, 1584
Nice original old coloured map of Lake Como (Lago di Como), Rome (Roma) and surroundings and the region of Udine in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea by Abraham Ortelius. From the 1584 Latin...
Larii Lacus vulgo Comensis Descriptio / Territorii Romani Descrip. /...
1584 - Abraham Ortelius
11351
Old coloured map of Udine, Rome, Lake Como. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

600,00 €
Details
Abraham Ortelius: Siciliae Veteris Typus ...
Balthasar Moretus, Antwerp, 1584 [1624]
One of the most beautiful maps of Sicily ever printed.A striking example of Ortelius' map of Sicily. Showing the Mediterranean island of Sicily (Sicilia) with three cartouches and rich...
Siciliae Veteris Typus ...
1584 - Abraham Ortelius
12688
Coloured map of Sicily (Sicilia). Printed in Antwerp by Balthasar Moretus in 1624.

1 450,00 €
Details
Braun & Hogenberg: Danorum Marca, vel Cimbricum, aut Daniae regnum...
Gottfried von Kempen, Cologne, 1585 [1588]
Gorgeous coloured map of Denmark by M. Jordanus from the town book Civitates orbis terrarum by Braun and Hogenberg. Showing Denmark with Holstein and Zealand with Bornholm in the east. Decorated...
Danorum Marca, vel Cimbricum, aut Daniae regnum...
1585 - Braun & Hogenberg
12650
Coloured map of Denmark. Printed in Cologne by Gottfried von Kempen in 1588.

2 300,00 €
Details
Abraham Ortelius: Chinae, olim Sinarum Regionis, nova descriptio. Auctore Ludovico Georgio.
A. Ortelius, Antwerp, circa 1587
Ortelius' Stunning Map of China with Old Colour.Old coloured map of China by Abraham Ortelius. The map is oriented to the west, north is on the right side. This is the first map of China ever...
Chinae, olim Sinarum Regionis, nova descriptio. Auctore Ludovico Georgio.
1587 - Abraham Ortelius
11521
Old coloured map of China. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius circa 1587.

3 400,00 €
Details
Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer: De Custen van Een Deel van Denmarken en Swederijk, Beginnede va Vuijtste tot Calmer toe. Orae...
Cornelis Claesz, Amsterdam, 1588
Rare sea chart of the coasts of Sweden by Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer. Shows the coastline between Simrishamn and Kalmar with Åhus and the islands Oland, Hanö and Bornholm. With two decorative...
De Custen van Een Deel van Denmarken en Swederijk, Beginnede va Vuijtste...
1588 - Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer
11767
Coloured sea chart of Sweden. Printed in Amsterdam by Cornelis Claesz in 1588.

1 350,00 €
Details
Theodor de Bry: Americae Pars, Nunc Virginia Dicta, Primum ab Anglis Inventa Sumtibus Dn. Walteri Raleigh...
Theodor de Bry, Frankfurt, 1590
One of the Most Significant Cartographical Milestones on Colonial North American History.A very fine dark impression of the first printed map of Virginia and the Carolinas. From the first...
Americae Pars, Nunc Virginia Dicta, Primum ab Anglis Inventa Sumtibus...
1590 - Theodor de Bry
11188
Coloured map of Virginia. Printed in Frankfurt by Theodor de Bry in 1590.

15 900,00 €
Details
Christian Adrichem: Situs Terrae Promissionis SS Bibliorum Intelligentiam Exacte Aperiens
A. Mylij, Cologne, 1593
A very large map of the Holy Land printed from two plates. From Christian van Adrichem's famous description of the Holy Land Theatrum Terrae Sanctae et Biblicarum Historiarum , printed 1593 in...
Situs Terrae Promissionis SS Bibliorum Intelligentiam Exacte Aperiens
1593 - Christian Adrichem
12135
Antique map of the Holy Land. Printed in Cologne by A. Mylij in 1593.

950,00 €
Details
Abraham Ortelius: Oldenburg Comit. / Thietmarsiae, Holsaticae Regionis Partis Typus
A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1603
Old coloured antique map of Oldenburg country and Dithmarschen by A. Ortelius. Two maps on one sheet. The right map shows the Oldenburg country between Weser and East Friesland from Bremen to Jever...
Oldenburg Comit. / Thietmarsiae, Holsaticae Regionis Partis Typus
1603 - Abraham Ortelius
11856
Old coloured map of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1603.

490,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: Nova Africae Tabula Auctore Jodoco Hondio
Amsterdam, 1606
Old coloured map of Africa by Jodocus Hondus. The second map of Africa by Hondius, first published in the Mercator-Hondius Atlas of 1606. The geographical information is based on the Mercator map...
Nova Africae Tabula Auctore Jodoco Hondio
1606 - Jodocus Hondius
12406
Old coloured map of the African continent. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1606.
Out of stock
950,00 €
Details
Abraham Ortelius: Oldenburg Comit. / Thietmarsiae, Holsaticae Regionis Partis Typus
A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1609-41
Old coloured antique map of Oldenburg country and Dithmarschen by A. Ortelius. Two maps on one sheet. The right map shows the Oldenburg country between Weser and East Friesland from Bremen to Jever...
Oldenburg Comit. / Thietmarsiae, Holsaticae Regionis Partis Typus
1609 - Abraham Ortelius
11847
Old coloured map of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1609.

450,00 €
Details
Pieter van den Keere: Nova Hispaniae Descriptio
Johannes Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1616 [1640]
Scarce Kerius-Janssonius map of Spain with side panels.Very decorative and rare 'carte-à-figures' map of the Iberian Peninsula by Johannes Janssonius. The beautiful map of Spain and Portugal...
Nova Hispaniae Descriptio
1616 - Pieter van den Keere
12654
Antique map of Spain - Portugal. Printed in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius in 1640.

3 500,00 €
Details
Johannes Janssonius: Nova Germaniae Descriptio
Johannes Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1616 [1632]
Scarce Janssonius map of the Holy Roman Empire with side panels.Very decorative and rare 'carte-à-figures' map of Germany with the surrounding countries by Johannes Janssonius. First...
Nova Germaniae Descriptio
1616 - Johannes Janssonius
12656
Coloured map of Germany. Printed in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius in 1632.

1 900,00 €
Details
Pieter van den Keere: Typus Frisiae Orientalis à Dullarto ...
Pieter van den Keere, Amsterdam, 1622
One of the most beautiful maps of East Frisia.Rare and very decorative map of East Frisia (Ostfriesland) by Ubbo Emmius. Showing the North Sea coast of Friesland between Dollart and the Jade...
Typus Frisiae Orientalis à Dullarto ...
1622 - Pieter van den Keere
12662
Antique map of East Frisia, Ostfriesland. Printed in Amsterdam by Pieter van den Keere in 1622.

1 150,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: Regni Valentiae typus
Amsterdam, 1623 or 1630
Antique map of Valencia by Jodocus Hondus. Shows the Spanish Mediterranean coast from Torrevieja to Tarragona. With Alicante, Xàbia, Dénia, Gandia, Castellón de la Plana and L'Ampolla. In the...
Regni Valentiae typus
1623 - Jodocus Hondius
12408
Coloured map of Valencia. Printed in Amsterdam in 1623 or 1630.

420,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: China
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1623
Impressive antique map of China, Japan and Korea by Jodocus Hondius. First published in the Mercator-Hondius Atlas of 1606.At the beginning of the 17th century, little is known about this...
China
1623 - Jodocus Hondius
12412
Coloured map of China. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1623.

2 200,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: India Orientalis
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1623
One of the Most Beautiful Early Maps of Southeast Asia.Antique map of the Indian subcontinent with the Philippines and parts of Indonesia by Jodocus Hondius. Shows Southeast Asia between...
India Orientalis
1623 - Jodocus Hondius
12649
Coloured map of the Philippines, Thailand, China, India. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1623.

2 600,00 €
Details
Johannes Janssonius: Insularum Indiae Orientalis Nova Descriptio.
G. Valk and P. Schenk, Amsterdam, 1630 (1690)
Janssonius' map of Southeast Asia coloured by a contemporary hand. Re-issued by G. Valk and P. Schenk with modified title and signature. Decorated with three cartouches, two compass roses, ships...
Insularum Indiae Orientalis Nova Descriptio.
1630 - Johannes Janssonius
11276
Old coloured map of Southeast Asia. Printed in Amsterdam by G. Valk and P. Schenk in 1690.

1 600,00 €
Details
Gerard Mercator: West Morlandia, Lancastria, Cestria, Caernaruan, Denbigh, Flint, Merionidh, Montgomery, Salopia,...
Jodocus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1634
Old coloured map of North Wales and the northwestern part of England by G. Mercator. Shows the north of Wales, the Isle of Man, Angelsey, Westmorland, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumberland. With a...
West Morlandia, Lancastria, Cestria, Caernaruan, Denbigh, Flint,...
1634 - Gerard Mercator
12644
Old coloured map of North West England, North Wales, Isle of Man. Printed in Amsterdam by Jodocus Hondius in 1634.

450,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: Accuratissima Brasiliae Tabula. Amstelodami Henricus Hondius excudit.
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1636
Antique map of Brazil by Henricus Hondius. Shows a very detailed and accurate coastline while the interior is still speculative. With two inset maps of Baya de Todos os Sanctos (Bay of All...
Accuratissima Brasiliae Tabula. Amstelodami Henricus Hondius excudit.
1636 - Jodocus Hondius
11918
Coloured map of Brazil. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1636.

950,00 €
Details
Jodocus Hondius: Natoliae sive Asia Minor
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1639
Old coloured antique map of Asia Minor, Turkey and Cyprus by Jodocus Hondius. First published in the Mercator-Hondius Atlas of the 1606 Atlas sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi et...
Natoliae sive Asia Minor
1639 - Jodocus Hondius
11777
Old coloured map of Turkey. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1639.

700,00 €
Details
Johannes Janssonius: Iaponiae Nova Descriptio
J. Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1639-49
Early Map of Japan with Korea as an Island.Old coloured antique map of Japan and Korea by J. Janssonius after Mercator-Hondius. In the west the coastline of China, Korea is shown as an...
Iaponiae Nova Descriptio
1639 - Johannes Janssonius
12559
Old coloured map of Japan - Korea. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Janssonius in 1639.

1 800,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Natolia, quae olim Asia Minor.
Willem & Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1640-43
Old coloured antique map of Asia Minor with Turkey and Cyprus by Willem Blaeu. With Constantinople (Istanbul), Smyrna (Izmir) and Antioch. Decorated with a beautiful title cartouche, sea monsters...
Natolia, quae olim Asia Minor.
1640 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12035
Old coloured map of Turkey. Printed in Amsterdam by Willem & Joan Blaeu in 1640.

490,00 €
Details