Ortelius Pacific

Abraham Ortelius.
Maris Pacifici, (quod vulgo Mar del Zur) cum regionibus circumiacentibus, insulisque in eodem passim sparsis, novissima descriptio.
Antwerp, Jan Vrients, 1603. 345 x 495mm. Coloured.
£6,000
The first printed map devoted to the Pacific, engraved 1589 but not issued in an atlas until 1590. However, while the east coast of the Americas is recognisable, Japan, the Philippines and New Guinea bear no resemblance to their modern forms. With strap-work title and dedication cartouches, and a representation of Magellan's ship 'Victoria', Burden rightly describes this as being 'one of Ortelius' most desirable maps'. BURDEN: 74, 'One of the most important maps that appeared in the Ortelius atlases'. ORTE0013