Indiae Orientalis, nec non Insularum Adiacentium Nova Descriptio.

Superb Dutch c.18th hand coloured engraved map of the East Indies by Nicholas Visscher I.

This issue of the map is after Visscher was granted privilege in 1677 as shown on the lower right. The map extends from India to northern Australia and includes the Dutch discoveries on the northern coast.

The Dutch discoveries in Australia shown, include those of Carstensz in the Pera on Cape York 1623, Tasman’s second voyage on the northern Australian coast 1644 and those of van Colster in the Arnhem 1623. Subsequent to the two voyages of Abel Tasman in 1642-1644 and his subsequent reports, the VOC’s interest in the Australian coast was purely one of navigation. They no longer attempted to engage in trade with the indigenous population, as Tasman had been instructed nor did they further explorer the coast line. Their charting was devoted soley to the updating of their existing charts. A superb decorative title cartouche at lower left, comprised of a carved stone block, surrounded by oriental figures, a variety of trade goods, birds and animals, set against a back drop of palm trees. The Visschers were a Dutch family of mapmakers, engravers and publishers who became one of the largest firms in Holland in the seventeenth century. As none of the Visscher’s atlases were issued with printed dates, it has always been difficult to precisely date their maps.

The dating of the Visscher family maps is very difficult as the title page of the atlases do not contain a date. The individual maps do not all have a date on them. Consequently the determining factor with this map is whether it includes Visschers confirmation of having being granted privilegio in 1677.  Visscher’s Atlas Contractus was published a number of times from 1656 and after he was granted privilege in 1677.

From: Visscher I, N. Atlas Contractus Orbis Terrarum Praecipuas ac Novissimas Complectens Tabulas.