BOURDELOIS, PAYS DEMEDOC, ET DE LA PREVOSTE DE BORN

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Very attractive and important map of Bordeaux, Bayonne and the wine growing area of Bordeaux and Medoc;

Accredited to Hondius and the engraver Evert Symonsz Hambers Veldt which distinguished this map from Blaeu's copy,* But the map was published by Janssonius from 1631.This first state of the plate.

The stunning carouche which takes up most of the bottom half of the map is entwined with vine leaves highlighting even then the global importance of the area for wines and brandy.

Compass rose, galleons and sea monster add to decorative nature.

Some professional strenghening invisible from front

Excellent original colour.

Very good condition.

*Henricus Hondius and Johannes Janssonius engaged the engravers Salomon Rogiers and Evert Sijmonsz. Hamersveldt to cut plates similar to the ones sold. This history is rather well-documented by a notary contract, signed on March 2nd, 1630. According to the contract ". . . these 36 copper plates should be ready within eighteen months, should be accurate, finer and better than the maps given to the engravers. . . ."

code : M4469

Cartographer : HONDIUS Family

Date : 1631 Amsterdam

Size : 38.5*50.5 cms

availability : Sold

Price : Sold

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Jodocus Hondius I(1563-1612) was one of the foremost map engravers of his day; he worked for many Dutch publishers and was also employed by the English map- and print-sellers, Sudbury and Humble, to engrave the maps for John Speed's "The Theatre Of The Empire Of Great Britaine", published in 1612. Hondius married Coletta van den Keere (sister of Pieter van de Keere - also heavily involved in the map trade) thus strengthening his links with the map world at this time.

Hondius bought the copperplates of Mercator's "Atlas Sive Cosmographicae ..." at the auction of Gerard Jr.'s effects in 1604. He added another forty maps, including new maps of the continents and important regional maps of the Americas, before publishing a new edition of the "Atlas ..." in 1606 that was in direct competition with Ortelius' "Theatrum". As many of Hondius' maps were more up-to-date, the Mercator-Hondius "Atlas ..." effectively superseded Ortelius' "Theatrum".

Jodocus also had the plates of the "Atlas ..." reduced at this time in order to publish them in the "Atlas Minor" that first appeared in 1607. Cornelis Clasz and Johannes Janssonius of Arnhem (the elder Janssonius) were the publishers involved in this 'miniature' endeavour.

Henricus and Jodocus II were sons of Jodocus I. From 1619 the "Atlas ..." was published under the Henricus Hondius imprint. Henricus appears to have been heavily involved in the "Atlas ..." from 1619 until 1633 when his brother-in-law's name and imprint, that of Johannes Janssonius, also started appearing on the "Atlas ..." After 1636 the name of the "Atlas ..." was changed to "Atlas Novus" with Janssonius being responsible, in the main, for its publication.