Hondius, Jodocus “Fretum Magellani”

Samuel Purchase after Jodocus Hondius.  “Fretum Magellani.”  [Straits of Magellan]. 

From Purchas His Pilgrims.  London: S. Purchase, 1625.  19 3/4 x 15 (frame).  Engraving.  Hand color.  English text below map and on verso.  Very good condition.  Sold as is.  Framed with glass on back as well to view text. 

Gerard Mercator (1512-1594) ranks as one of the greatest cartographers in history, and his important Atlas was first published between 1585 and 1595.  After his death, Mercator’s heirs sold his plates and rights to the Atlas to Jodocus Hondius.  Hondius continued to publish the work, using Mercator’s fine maps, but also beginning to issue new maps of his own, many of regions for which there were no Mercator maps.  This map, taken from the Joducus Hondius map, was published in London by Samuel Purchase.