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.

Pieter van den Keere: Nova totius terrarum orbis geographica ac hydrographica tabula
Amsterdam, 1608 [1637-44]
The Rare Kerius-Janssonius World Map After Blaeu.Perhaps the finest world map ever printed. This world map in Mercator projection, surrounded by four decorative borders, was engraved by...
Nova totius terrarum orbis geographica ac hydrographica tabula
1608 - Pieter van den Keere
12659
Antique world map with borders by Pieter van den Keere. Published around 1640 in Amsterdam.
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Abraham Ortelius: Scotiae Tabula
Antwerp, 1609
Beautiful original coloured map of Scotland. From the 1609 Latin edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum" by Abraham Ortelius. Second state of the copperplate. The cartographical source of this map...
Scotiae Tabula
1609 - Abraham Ortelius
10143
Old coloured map of Scotland. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1609.
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Abraham Ortelius: Lacus Lemani Vicinorumq. Locorum Nova et Accurata Descriptio
J. B. Vrients, Antwerp, 1609 or 1612
Rare and extremely decorative map of Lake Geneva by J. B. Vrients. Vrients used this map only in 3 editions of the Ortelius atlases he published between 1608 and 1612. According to Marcel Van den...
Lacus Lemani Vicinorumq. Locorum Nova et Accurata Descriptio
1609 - Abraham Ortelius
12646
Old coloured map of the Lac Leman, Lake Geneva. Printed in Antwerp by J. B. Vrients in 1609 or 1612.
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Gerard Mercator: Daniae Regnu
J. Hondius, Amsterdam, 1613-19
Old coloured antique map of Denmark by Gerard Mercator. Shows Denmark with Holstein and Mecklenburg with Rügen in the south and south Sweden in the north. Top right a title cartouche, in the North...
Daniae Regnu
1613 - Gerard Mercator
11863
Old coloured map of Denmark. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Hondius in 1613.
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Jodocus Hondius: Asiae Nova Descriptio Auctore Jodoco Hondio
H. Hondius, Amsterdam, 1613-19
Beautiful antique map of the Asian continent by Jodocus Hondius. Shows Asia from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. With the Arabian Peninsula, India, Thailand, China, Japan, Korea as an island,...
Asiae Nova Descriptio Auctore Jodoco Hondio
1613 - Jodocus Hondius
12560
Coloured map of the Asian continent. Printed in Amsterdam by H. Hondius in 1613.
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Jodocus Hondius: Nova Famigerabilis Insulae ac Ducatus Rugiae Descripto.
Amsterdam, 1623
Beautiful old coloured map of Rügen with Hiddensee by Eilhard Lübben. Shows the coast of the Baltic Sea from Peenemunde and Stralsund to Barhöft and the island of Rügen with many details. The...
Nova Famigerabilis Insulae ac Ducatus Rugiae Descripto.
1623 - Jodocus Hondius
11520
Old coloured map of Rügen, Baltic Sea. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1623.
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Jodocus Hondius: America
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1628
This map, engraved by Jodocus Hondius the Elder, is a finely colored example of a highly sought-after map of America. It was created in 1604 for Hondius' first edition of the Mercator Atlas Sive...
America
1628 - Jodocus Hondius
12765
Coloured map of the American continent. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1628.
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Jodocus Hondius: Virginiae Item et Floridae Americae Provinciarum, nova Descriptio
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1628
One of the great early maps of the North-American South, before the Jamestown colony was established. The Mercator-Hondius map of Virginia and Florida, originally published in 1606 by Jodocus...
Virginiae Item et Floridae Americae Provinciarum, nova Descriptio
1628 - Jodocus Hondius
12769
Coloured map of Virginia and Florida. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1628.
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Jodocus Hondius: America Meridionalis
Henricus Hondius, Amsterdam, 1628
This highly sought-after map of South America was engraved by Jodocus Hondius. It is one of the earliest decorative maps available that depicts the South American continent. The map includes the...
America Meridionalis
1628 - Jodocus Hondius
12772
Coloured map of South America. Printed in Amsterdam by Henricus Hondius in 1628.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Paraguay, o Prov. de Rio de la Plata cum regionibus adiacentibus Tucuman et S.ta Cruz de la Sierra
1630
Attractive map of Paraguay. Wtih 2 cartouche and a seamonster.
Paraguay, o Prov. de Rio de la Plata cum regionibus adiacentibus Tucuman...
1630 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10052
Antique map of Paraguay. Printed in the year 1630.
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Johannes Janssonius: Nova Illustrissimi Ducatus Pomeraniae Tabula
J. Janssonius, Amsterdam, circa 1630
Antique map of Pomerania by Johannes Janssonius. Shows the Baltic coast from Stralsund with Rügen and Usedom to Gdansk. With Szczecin and Toruń. Decorated with 3 cartouches, the portrait of...
Nova Illustrissimi Ducatus Pomeraniae Tabula
1630 - Johannes Janssonius
12564
Coloured map of Pomerania. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Janssonius circa 1630.
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Johannes Janssonius: Typus Frisiae Orientalis
Johannes Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1630 [1633]
Beautiful map of East Frisia by Johannes Janssonius after Ubbo Emmius. Showing the North Sea coast of Friesland between Dollart and the Jadebusen with Emden, Leer and the East Frisian Islands...
Typus Frisiae Orientalis
1630 - Johannes Janssonius
12663
Old coloured map of East Frisia, Ostfriesland. Printed in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius in 1633.
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Jodocus Hondius: Africae nova tabula
circa 1633
Attractive coloured map of Africa. Various animals appear in Africa, seamonsters and fishes in the ocean. It was publish first 1619 by Jodocus Hondius with four decorative borders (state 1). After...
Africae nova tabula
1633 - Jodocus Hondius
10075
Coloured map of the African continent. Printed circa 1633.
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Jodocus Hondius: Situs Terrae Promissionis.S.S.Bibliorum intelligentiam.
H. Hondius, Amsterdam, 1633
A magnificent map of the Holy Land by H. Hondius based on the influential work of Christian Van Adrichom. The map is intricately engraved and features a wealth of biblical scenes, including the...
Situs Terrae Promissionis.S.S.Bibliorum intelligentiam.
1633 - Jodocus Hondius
12815
Coloured map of the Holy Land. Printed in Amsterdam by H. Hondius in 1633.
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Gerard Mercator: Daniae Regnu
H. Hondius, Amsterdam, 1633
Beautiful coloured antique map of Denmark by Gerard Mercator. Shows Denmark with Holstein and Mecklenburg with Rügen in the south and south Sweden in the north. Top right a title cartouche, in the...
Daniae Regnu
1633 - Gerard Mercator
12833
Coloured map of Denmark. Printed in Amsterdam by H. Hondius in 1633.
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Johannes Janssonius: Peru
Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1633
Beautiful antique map of Peru by Johannes Janssonius. Showing Peru with an eastward orientation, delineates the colony along its Pacific coast. The rugged, mountainous terrain dominates the...
Peru
1633 - Johannes Janssonius
12868
Coloured map of Peru. Printed in Amsterdam by Janssonius in 1633.
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Jodocus Hondius: Freti Magellanici ac Novi Freti vulgo Le Maire Exactissima Delineatio
J. Hondius, Amsterdam, 1633
This beautiful antique map by Hondius vividly captures the Straits of Magellan, Le Maire Strait, Tierra del Fuego, and the southern tip of Patagonia. The coastlines of Tierra del Fuego are...
Freti Magellanici ac Novi Freti vulgo Le Maire Exactissima Delineatio
1633 - Jodocus Hondius
12881
Coloured map of the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Hondius in 1633.
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Johannes Janssonius: Typus Frisiae Orientalis
Johannes Janssonius, Amsterdam, 1633
Beautiful map of East Frisia by Johannes Janssonius after Ubbo Emmius. Showing the North Sea coast of Friesland between Dollart and the Jadebusen with Emden, Leer and the East Frisian Islands...
Typus Frisiae Orientalis
1633 - Johannes Janssonius
12884
Coloured map of East Frisia, Ostfriesland. Printed in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius in 1633.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Nova Italiae Delineatio
circa 1635
Beautiful full old coloured example of Blaeu's first map of Italy. Showing whole Italy with Sardinia, Corsica and parts of Sicily. With several sailing ships and a sea monster. German text on verso.
Nova Italiae Delineatio
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10312
Coloured map of Italia. Printed circa 1635.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Insulae Americanae in Oceano Septentrionali, cum Terris Adiacentibus
J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1635 (1662)
W. Blaeu's coastal chart of the West IndiesHand-coloured engraved sea chart of the West Indies by W. Blaeu. With the East Coast of the Americas from Chesapeake Bay to the Orinoco. First...
Insulae Americanae in Oceano Septentrionali, cum Terris Adiacentibus
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11447
Coloured sea chart of Florida, West Indies. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Blaeu in 1662.
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Johannes Janssonius: Nova et accurata Tabula Episcopatuum Stavangriensis, Bergensis et Asloiensis Vicinarumque aliquot...
Amsterdam, 1636
Original old coloured map of southern Norway by J. Janssonius. Showing the area between Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen. Decorated with a figural cartouche with mileage scale, a allegoric cartouche with...
Nova et accurata Tabula Episcopatuum Stavangriensis, Bergensis et...
1636 - Johannes Janssonius
10878
Old coloured map of Bergen, Stavanger, Oslo, Norway. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1636.
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Johannes Janssonius: Hibernia Regnum vulgo Ireland. Amstelodami, Apud Ioannem Ianssonium
Amsterdam, circa 1636
Original old hand coloured map of Ireland by J. Janssonius. One of the most beautiful maps of Ireland. Decorative title cartouche with the Irish harp and Royal arms above. Showing the coasts of...
Hibernia Regnum vulgo Ireland. Amstelodami, Apud Ioannem Ianssonium
1636 - Johannes Janssonius
11445
Old coloured map of the British Islands. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1636.
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Jodocus Hondius: Poli Arctici et Circumiacentium Terrarum descriptio novissima
Amsterdam, 1638
Very attractive Polar map by Henricus Hondius. It was publish first 1636 for the English edition of the Mercator Hondius Atlas after the Mercator map of the North Pole from 1595 became obsolete....
Poli Arctici et Circumiacentium Terrarum descriptio novissima
1638 - Jodocus Hondius
10145
Old coloured map of the North Pole. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1638.
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Giovanni Botero: Africa
Giunti, Venice, circa 1640
Very rare copper engraved Africa Map of G. Botero. This example has a thin engraved line around the continent, which is not described in references. It seems the map comes from 1640 edition of...
Africa
1640 - Giovanni Botero
10316
Antique map of Africa. Printed in Venice by Giunti circa 1640.
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