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.

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
Johannes Janssonius: Valentia Regnum
Amsterdam, circa 1640
Antique map of Valencia by Janssonius. Shows the Spanish Mediterranean coast from Torrevieja to Tarragona. With Alicante, Xàbia, Dénia, Gandia, Castellón de la Plana and L'Ampolla. In the centre...
Valentia Regnum
1640 - Johannes Janssonius
12414
Coloured map of Valencia. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1640.

360,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Asia noviter delineata
Amsterdam, 1641-42
One of the most beautiful maps of Asia of the 17th century.Willem Blaeu's map of Asia is one of the most beautiful maps of the continent published during the 17th century. It features ten...
Asia noviter delineata
1641 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12856
Antique map of Asien with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1641 in Amsterdam.

3 400,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Africae nova descriptio
Amsterdam, 1641-42
One of the most sought after maps of Africa.A very good example of Blaeu's iconic 17th-century map of Africa. It features the African continent with the Arabian Peninsula in the upper right...
Africae nova descriptio
1641 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12857
Antique map of Africa with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1641 in Amsterdam.

2 900,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula auct: Guiljelmo Blaeuw.
Amsterdam, 1641-49
One of the Most Famous World Maps of Dutch Cartography with Stunning Old Colours.Perhaps the finest world map ever printed. This map represents the apogee of seventeenth century Dutch...
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula auct:...
1641 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12865
Old coloured world map with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1643 in Amsterdam.

14 000,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Europa recens descripta a Guilielmo Blaeuw
Amsterdam, 1644-1655
Blaeu's famous Map of Europe with Beautiful Old Colours.A striking and highly decorative map of Europe by Willem J. Blaeu, produced at the height of the Golden Age of Dutch mapmaking. With...
Europa recens descripta a Guilielmo Blaeuw
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12753
Old coloured map of Europe with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1644-55 in Amsterdam.

4 600,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Americae nova Tabula
Amsterdam, 1645-65
One of the most sought after maps of America.A stunning old colored example of Willem J. Blaeu's map of America from the Golden Age of Dutch Cartography. With decorative panels of portraits...
Americae nova Tabula
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12854
Antique map of America with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published around 1645 in Amsterdam.

5 900,00 €
Details
Johannes Janssonius: Insulae Corsicae Nova & accurata Descriptio
J. Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1646-57
Beautiful old coloured engraved map of Corsica. Decorated with several sailing ships, sea monsters, a figurative text cartouche, a coat of arms and a mileage scale surrounded by Aquarius and putti....
Insulae Corsicae Nova & accurata Descriptio
1646 - Johannes Janssonius
12851
Old coloured map of Corse, Corsica. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Janssonius in 1646.

950,00 €
Details
Nicolas Visscher: De Gelegenheyt van't Paradys ende't Landt Canaan...
Paulus Aertsz van Ravesteyn, Amsterdam, 1654
Decorative map of the location of Paradise by Nicolas Visscher. Above biblical scenes with Adam and Eve, in between the title cartouche. In the Mediterranean Sea with Cyprus, a sailing ship and a...
De Gelegenheyt van't Paradys ende't Landt Canaan...
1654 - Nicolas Visscher
12747
Antique map of the Middle East. Printed in Amsterdam by Paulus Aertsz van Ravesteyn in 1654.

390,00 €
Details
Nicolas Visscher: Perigrinatie ofte Veertich-Iarige Reyse der Kinderen Israels.
Paulus Aertsz van Ravesteyn, Amsterdam, 1654
Decorative map of the Holy Land by Nicolas Visscher. Showing the exodus of the tribes of Israel from Egypt. Below the camp of the tribes, the tabernacle, ark of the covenant and menorah. From the...
Perigrinatie ofte Veertich-Iarige Reyse der Kinderen Israels.
1654 - Nicolas Visscher
12748
Antique map of the Holy Land. Printed in Amsterdam by Paulus Aertsz van Ravesteyn in 1654.

290,00 €
Details
Johannes Janssonius: Galli Polis / La fidelissima Citta di Gallipoli...
Amsterdam, 1657
Old colored city view of Gallipoli from the Latin edition of the town book by J. Janssonius from 1657. A coat of arms at the top, the title cartouche at lower left. Latin text on the verso.
Galli Polis / La fidelissima Citta di Gallipoli...
1657 - Johannes Janssonius
12844
Old coloured town view of Gallipoli. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1657.

650,00 €
Details
Frederick de Wit: Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula ex Officina F. de Wit Amstelodami
Frederick de Wit, Amsterdam, 1668-70
Engraved by the Dutch Master Romeyn de Hooghe.Rare first state of Frederick de Wit's fine maritime world map. One of the most decorative world maps of the 17th century and maybe the best...
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula ex Officina F. de Wit Amstelodami
1668 - Frederick de Wit
12754
Antique world map by Frederick de Wit, engraved by Romeyn de Hooghe. Published in Amsterdam around 1668.

5 900,00 €
Details
Anonymous: Erschrecklicher und Erbärmlicher Schaw Platz Verüblter Frantzösischer Schandt Brandt und...
circa 1675
Extremely rare, large engraved pamphlet on 4 sheets joined. Shows dramatic scenes during the French-Dutch War (1672-1679). The unusual dramatic scenes of violence for this time of printmaking are...
Erschrecklicher und Erbärmlicher Schaw Platz Verüblter Frantzösischer...
1675 - Anonymous
11205
Extremely rare, large pamphlet of the French-Dutch War. Printed on 4 sheets in the year 1675.

2 800,00 €
Details
Nicolas Visscher: Comitatus Hollandiae Tabula Pluribus Locis Recens Emendata a Nicolao Visscher
N. Visscher, Amsterdam, 1677
Antique map of Holland in the west of the Netherlands by N. Visscher. In the center Amsterdam, at the bottom left an inset map of the West Frisian islands Texel, Vlieland and Terschelling. In the...
Comitatus Hollandiae Tabula Pluribus Locis Recens Emendata a Nicolao...
1677 - Nicolas Visscher
11829
Old coloured map of Holland. Printed in Amsterdam by N. Visscher in 1677.

790,00 €
Details
Justus Danckerts: Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Amstelodami per I. Danckerts cum Privil.
J. Danckerts, Amsterdam, circa 1685
Very decorative double-hemisphere world map by Justus Danckerts. Based on Frederick De Wit's maritime world map of 1668. With two hemispheres and two small inset polar maps. Decorated with large...
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula Amstelodami per I. Danckerts cum Privil.
1685 - Justus Danckerts
12859
Antique world map by Justus Danckerts. Published around 1685 in Amsterdam.

5 900,00 €
Details
Carel Allard: Hyberniae Regni in Provincias Ultoniam, Connachian, Lageniam, Momoniamq Divisi Tabula...
Covens & Mortier, Amsterdam, circa 1730
Rare old coloured antique map of Ireland by Carel Allard. This is the edition by Covens and Mortier. Two impressive cartouches, numerous sailing ships in the Atlantic and Irish Seas. Very nice...
Hyberniae Regni in Provincias Ultoniam, Connachian, Lageniam, Momoniamq...
1730 - Carel Allard
12541
Old coloured map of Ireland. Printed in Amsterdam by Covens & Mortier circa 1730.

1 300,00 €
Details
Guillaume de l'Isle: Les Isles Britanniques ou sont le Royaumes d'Angleterre
Covens & Mortier, Amsterdam, circa 1730
Antique map of Great Britain and Ireland by Guillaume de l'Isle. This is the Covens & Mortier edition of the detailed map by G. de l'Isle. With England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, parts of the...
Les Isles Britanniques ou sont le Royaumes d'Angleterre
1730 - Guillaume de l'Isle
12546
Old coloured map of the British Isles. Printed in Amsterdam by Covens & Mortier circa 1730.

350,00 €
Details
Hartmann Schedel: [Armageddon, Apocalypse] Septima etas mundi
Anton Koberger, Nuremberg, 1493
The Apocalypse or Armageddon is one of the most sought-after woodcuts of the Book of Chronicles or Liber Chronicarum by Hartmann Schedel, also called Schedel's World History or Nuremberg...
[Armageddon, Apocalypse] Septima etas mundi
1493 - Hartmann Schedel
12148
Armageddon, Apocalypse from Liber Chronicarum by Hartmann Schedel printed 1493 in Nuremberg.
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Laurent Fries: Tabu. Nova Orbis / Diefert Situs Orbis Hydrographorum Ab Eo Quem Ptolomeus Posuit
M. & G. Trechsel, Lyon, 1535
The second 'modern' world map of L. Fries. 'This map is one of the earliest world maps available to a collector, and is an unsophisticated but attractive rendering of what was generally known of...
Tabu. Nova Orbis / Diefert Situs Orbis Hydrographorum Ab Eo Quem...
1535 - Laurent Fries
10865
Antique woodcut map of the world. Printed in Lyon by M. & G. Trechsel in 1535.
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Sebastian Münster: Die Länder Asie nach ihrer gelegenheit bisz in India, werden in diser Tafel verzeichnet
Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1540 (1574)
The earliest printed map of the Asian Continent. Asia is shown from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean. In South East Asia the islands Java Major and Minor are named, also Borneo and the Moluccas...
Die Länder Asie nach ihrer gelegenheit bisz in India, werden in diser...
1540 - Sebastian Münster
11323
Coloured woodcut map of the Asian continent. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.
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Sebastian Münster: Africa Lybia Morenlandt mit Allen Künigreichen so zu unsern zeiten darin gefunden werden.
Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1540 (1574)
The earliest obtainable printed map to show all of Africa. First published in 1540 by Sebastian Munster, this map is also famous because of its rich mythical content. The Monoculi or cyclops...
Africa Lybia Morenlandt mit Allen Künigreichen so zu unsern zeiten darin...
1540 - Sebastian Münster
11325
Coloured woodcut map of Africa. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1574.
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Sebastian Münster: Die Länger Asie nach irer gelegenheit bisz in Indiam werden in disser tafel verzeichnet
Heinrich Petri, Basle, 1540 (1550)
The earliest printed map of the Asian Continent. Asia is shown from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean. In Southeast Asia the islands Java Major and Minor are named, also Borneo and the Moluccas...
Die Länger Asie nach irer gelegenheit bisz in Indiam werden in disser...
1540 - Sebastian Münster
12469
Coloured woodcut map of the Asian continent. Printed in Basle by Heinrich Petri in 1550.
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Sebastian Münster: Italia mit dreyen furnemesten Inseln, Corsica, Sardinia, und Sicilia
Basle, circa 1550
Attractive woodcut map showing Italy with Corsica, Sardinia and Sicilia. From a German edition of Cosmographia from Sebastian Munster.
Italia mit dreyen furnemesten Inseln, Corsica, Sardinia, und Sicilia
1550 - Sebastian Münster
10033
Coloured woodcut map of Italy. Printed in Basle circa 1550.
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