Nova Orbis Tabula in Lucem edita A.F.de Wit.

The rare first state of Frederick de Wit’s famous double hemisphere world map.

The map includes two polar projections framed with floral wreaths and pairs of cupids. The corners are superbly embellished with brilliant scenes of the four seasons, which include mythological figures of centaurs, Bacchus, as well as cupids holding signs of the zodiacs.

De Wit’s atlases are rarely dated and consequently the maps from these atlases are usually assigned a general date of C1680.  Rodney Shirley states ‘There are however reasons for concluding that this world map was first produced at least a decade earlier….’ he goes on to say ‘the less well-developed form of Hudson’s Bay, the out-dated configuration of the Great Lakes and the marking of Spitzbergen in outline only. It may have been engraved in the mid-1660s.’ (Shirley p.451)

Australia and New Zealand are shown with the Dutch discoveries made up to and including those of Abel Tasman 1642-1644.

In this first state, the cusps of the map (the triangular area between the spheres) are blank and there is no outer border; these were added to the second plate used to print this map in C1680. Additionally the following changes were made, New Guinea or Nova Guinea and Quiri Regio on the left hemisphere.

From De Wit’s Orbis Maritimus ofte Zee Atlas

References; Koeman p.518 M.Wit 1 (1), Shirley p.451, ill. pl.33.