Asiae Nova Descriptio Auctore Jodoco Hondio.

In 1604 Hondius bought the plates of Mercator&#8217s Atlas and to compete with Ortelius&#8217s Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, added thirty-seven new maps of his own, including three of Asia. This new general map of Asia was to become the standard delineation of the region for the next twenty years. It features an elaborate strapwork title and is embellished with ships, sea creatures, dedication panels and a decorative ornamental scale at lower right. Hondius included a number of updates on this map Korea is shown as an island and the cartography of Japan now identifies the three principal islands. The East Indies are shown based on the Portuguese sources revealed in Linschotens Itinerario 1596 and De Bry&#8217s Petit Voyages 1598-99. Java is shown with an incomplete coast line and New Guinea, which is marked with Spanish place names, has an accompanying note stating &#8216Whether this is an island or a part of the continent of Terra Australis has not yet been identified&#8217. From Atlas Novus Sive Theatre Orbis Terrarum References: Koeman 1967, Parry p.98, ill.pl.4.13 p.100, Quirino p.102, Sweet 20. p.18, Walter p.18 ill. map 24. 99