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.
  • Sebastian Münster:  Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen so jetziger Zeit darumb

    Sebastian Petri, Basle, 1588 (1598)

    Beautiful original antique map of Africa by Sebastian Münster. Based on the Ortelius map of 1570, the coast of Brazil was added. With two sailing ships and a sea monster. On verso the title with a...

    Affricae tabula nova / Africa, Lybia, Morenlandt, mit allen Königreichen...
    1588 - Sebastian Münster
    12429

    Original antique map of Africa. Printed in Basle by Sebastian Petri in 1598.

  • Gerard Mercator:  Italia

    Gerard Mercator, Duisburg, 1589

    True first edition of Mercator's map of Italy with beautiful old colour.Early and important engraved map of Italy with Sardinia and Corsica. This is the real first edition, published in 1589...

    Italia
    1589 - Gerard Mercator
    11498

    Old coloured map of Italy. Printed in Duisburg by Gerard Mercator in 1589.

  • Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer:  Beschrijuinghe van de Zee Custen va Vlanderen en Picardien ...

    Cornelis Claesz, Amsterdam, circa 1590

    Rare sea chart of the coast of northern France and Flanders from the Zeespieghel by Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer. Shows the coastline between Nieuwpoort and Dieppe, the English Channel and the south...

    Beschrijuinghe van de Zee Custen va Vlanderen en Picardien ...
    1590 - Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer
    12561

    Sea chart of the English Channel. Printed in Amsterdam by Cornelis Claesz circa 1590.

  • Theodor de Bry:  Floridae Americae Provinciae Recens & exactissima descriptio Auctore Iacobo le Moyne...

    Theodor de Bry, Frankfurt, 1591

    One of the Most Important 16th Century Maps of Florida and the Southeastern United States.A very fine example of De Bry's cornerstone map of Florida. Based on the map Jacques le Moyne prepared...

    Floridae Americae Provinciae Recens & exactissima descriptio Auctore...
    1591 - Theodor de Bry
    12743

    Jacques le Moyne's map of Florida. Printed in Frankfurt by Theodor de Bry in 1591.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Peregrinationis divi Pauli typus corographicus.

    Antwerp, 1592

    Hand coloured engraved map of the Eastern Mediterranean by Abraham Ortelius. Covering the Mediterranean Sea between Israel and Sicily with Cyprus, Italy, Greece and Turkey. With two biblical scenes...

    Peregrinationis divi Pauli typus corographicus.
    1592 - Abraham Ortelius
    10850

    Coloured map of Israel, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Sicily. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1592.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Ducatus Mediolanensis, Finitimarumq Regionu Descriptio Auctore Iooanne Georgio Septala Mediolanense

    Antwerp, 1592

    Beautiful coloured map of northern Italy by A. Ortelius. Showing the area around Milan with Lago di Como, Genoa, Parma, Cremona and Bergamo. With a nice Renaissance cartouche, a sailing ship , a...

    Ducatus Mediolanensis, Finitimarumq Regionu Descriptio Auctore Iooanne...
    1592 - Abraham Ortelius
    10866

    Coloured map of Milan, Milano. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1592.

  • Theodor de Bry:  Occidentalis Americae Partis, vel, Earum Regionum quas Christophorus Columbus Primu Detexit...

    Theodor de Bry, Frankfurt, 1594

    Spectacular 16th Century Map of the West Indies and Florida.Theodore de Bry's fascinating map of the West Indies is based on the Milanese sailor Girolamo Benzoni, who travelled between 1541...

    Occidentalis Americae Partis, vel, Earum Regionum quas Christophorus...
    1594 - Theodor de Bry
    11187

    Coloured map of Florida, West Indies. Printed in Frankfurt by Theodor de Bry in 1594.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Germania.

    Plantin, Antwerp, 1595

    Beautiful hand colour copper engraved map of Germany by A. Ortelius. From the 1595 Latin edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum".

    Germania.
    1595 - Abraham Ortelius
    10625

    Coloured map of Germany. Printed in Antwerp by Plantin in 1595.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Parergon, sive Veteris Geographiae aliquot Tabulae. [Bound with:] Nomenclator Ptolemaicus.

    Plantin, Antwerp, 1595

    The Parergon maps began appearing as supplements within the Theatrum in 1579 with 3 maps. During the following years, more map were completed and the Parergon became an atlas in its own right. The...

    Parergon, sive Veteris Geographiae aliquot Tabulae. [Bound with:]...
    1595 - Abraham Ortelius
    11259

    A splendid copy of Ortelius' Atlas of Ancient Geography. All maps and views finely coloured by a contemporary hand.

  • Theodor de Bry:  America sive Novus Orbis Respectu Europaeorum Inferior Globi Terrestris Pars 1596

    Theodor de Bry, Frankfurt, 1596

    De Bry's Beautifully Engraved Map of the New World.A very fine full color example of De Bry's scarce map of North and South America. With full-length portraits of the important explorers...

    America sive Novus Orbis Respectu Europaeorum Inferior Globi Terrestris...
    1596 - Theodor de Bry
    12579

    Coloured map of the American continent. Printed in Frankfurt by Theodor de Bry in 1596.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Africae tabula nova

    Antwerp, 1598

    Beautiful original coloured map of the African continent. From the 1598 French edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Abraham Ortelius. Fifth state of the copperplate, still the date 1570 is present...

    Africae tabula nova
    1598 - Abraham Ortelius
    10112

    Old coloured map of the African continent. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1598.

  • Girolamo Ruscelli:  Geografia di Claudio Tolomeo Alessandrino Tradotta di Greco nell'Idioma Volgare Italiano da...

    M. Sessa Erben, Venice, 1598-99

    Sixth edition of Ruscelli's translation of Ptolemy's Geografia edited and extended by Giuseppe Rosaccio published by the Hires of M. Sessa in 1598 and 1599. Illustrated with 69 double page...

    Geografia di Claudio Tolomeo Alessandrino Tradotta di Greco nell'Idioma...
    1598 - Girolamo Ruscelli
    10870

    A 16th century Ptolemy Atlas, published by the Hires of Sessa in Venice during the years 1598-99.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Regni Hispaniae Post Omnium Editiones Locuplettissima Descriptio

    Plantin Press, Antwerp, 1598

    Antique map of Spain and Portugal by A. Ortelius. Showing the Iberian Peninsula with Balearic Islands and parts of northern Africa. With one large cartouche, a mileage scale, sailing ships and sea...

    Regni Hispaniae Post Omnium Editiones Locuplettissima Descriptio
    1598 - Abraham Ortelius
    12092

    Coloured map of Spain - Portugal. Printed in Antwerp by Plantin Press in 1598.

  • Matthias Quad:  Thietmarsiae Holsaticae regionis partis typus Auctore Petro Boeckel

    J. Bussemacher, Cologne, circa 1600

    Antique map of Dithmarschen, Schleswig-Holstein by Matthias Quad. Shows Dithmarschen between the North Sea, Eider and Elbe. From Brunsbüttel to St. Annen, with Heide and Hemmingstedt in the centre....

    Thietmarsiae Holsaticae regionis partis typus Auctore Petro Boeckel
    1600 - Matthias Quad
    12389

    Old coloured map of Dithmarschen, Schleswig-Holstein. Printed in Cologne by J. Bussemacher circa 1600.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Scotiae Tabula

    Antwerp, 1602

    Original old coloured map of Scotland by A. Ortelius. With one large cartouche, one sailing ship and a sea monster. From the 1602 German edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum". Based on Mercator's...

    Scotiae Tabula
    1602 - Abraham Ortelius
    10879

    Old coloured map of Scotland. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1602.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Africae Tabula Nova

    Antwerp, 1603

    Beautiful hand coloured map of the African continent. From the 1603 Latin edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Abraham Ortelius. Fifth state of the copperplate, still the date 1570 is present in...

    Africae Tabula Nova
    1603 - Abraham Ortelius
    10656

    Coloured map of the African continent. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1603.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Presbiteri Iohannis, sive, Abissinorum Imperii Descriptio

    Jan Baptist Vrients, Antwerp, 1603

    Hand coloured antique map of Africa by Abraham Ortelius. Shows the Kingdom of the mystical Prester John in central Africa. Decorated with two cartouches, four elephants, sea monsters and a sailing...

    Presbiteri Iohannis, sive, Abissinorum Imperii Descriptio
    1603 - Abraham Ortelius
    11900

    Coloured map of Priest Joan, Ethiopia, Central Africa. Printed in Antwerp by Jan Baptist Vrients in 1603.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Cypri Insulae Nova Descript. 1573

    Jan Baptist Vrients, Antwerp, 1603

    Early and important map of Cyprus by Abraham Ortelius. The geographical details are based on the map of Cyprus by Giacomo Franco from 1570. Below right a inset map of Lemnos, based on notes by...

    Cypri Insulae Nova Descript. 1573
    1603 - Abraham Ortelius
    11921

    Coloured map of Cyprus. Printed in Antwerp by Jan Baptist Vrients in 1603.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Ausszug auss des Abrahami Ortelij Theatro Orbis teutsch beschriben durch Levinum Hulsium,...

    Levinus Hulsius, Jan van Keerbergen, Frankfurt, 1604

    Very Rare and Only German Edition of the Pocket Atlas by Ortelius. With 128 Maps.Complete and well preserved example of the rare German edition of Ortelius's Epitome. Edited by Levinus...

    Ausszug auss des Abrahami Ortelij Theatro Orbis teutsch beschriben durch...
    1604 - Abraham Ortelius
    12590

    Pocket atlas by Ortelius with 128 copper engraved maps, publihed by L. Hulsius and J. van Keerbergen 1604 in Frankfurt.

  • Gerard Mercator:  India Orientalis

    H. Hondius, Amsterdam, circa 1606

    Beautiful coloured map of India, the Malay Peninsula, China and the Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia and parts of Sumatra with Borneo from a French edition of the Mercator-Hondius Atlas. With two...

    India Orientalis
    1606 - Gerard Mercator
    10687

    Coloured map of the Philippines, Thailand, China, India. Printed in Amsterdam by H. Hondius circa 1606.

  • 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.

  • Gerard Mercator:  Atlas minor à I.Hondio plurimis aeneis tabulis auctus atque illustratus.

    J. Hondius, C. Claesz, J. Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1607

    Rare First Edition of the Atlas Minor by Mercator. With 153 Maps.A complete and well preserved example of the rare first edition of Mercator's Atlas Minor .In 1607, Jodocus Hondius...

    Atlas minor à I.Hondio plurimis aeneis tabulis auctus atque illustratus.
    1607 - Gerard Mercator
    12787

    Atlas Minor by G. Mercator with 153 copper engraved maps, publihed by J. Hondius and J. Janssonius 1607 in Amsterdam.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Irlandiae Accurata Descriptio, Auctore Baptista Boazio

    J. B. Vrients, Antwerp, 1608 or 1612

    Rare and incredible decorative map of Ireland with beautiful old colour. This west-oriented map rarely appears on the market, since it was bound in only a few copies of the Ortelius Atlas, while...

    Irlandiae Accurata Descriptio, Auctore Baptista Boazio
    1608 - Abraham Ortelius
    11476

    One of the most desirable map of Ireland for collectors. Based on the map of Boazio, published by J. B. Vrients in Antwerp between 1608 and 1612.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Cataloniae principatus novissima et accurata descriptio

    J. B. Vrients, Antwerp, 1608 or 1612

    Rare and very decorative map of Catalonia (Catalunya) by J. B. Vrients. Commissioned by Jacob Baptiste Vrients and engraved by Pieter van den Keere, probably the finest engraver of his time....

    Cataloniae principatus novissima et accurata descriptio
    1608 - Abraham Ortelius
    12413

    Old coloured map of Catalonia, Cataluna, Catalunya. Printed in Antwerp by J. B. Vrients in 1608 or 1612.

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