Antique map of America by F. De Wit. c. 1680
Frederick de Wit (1630-1706)
The engraver and map-seller, Frederick de Wit, was born in Gouda (Netherlands) in 1630 as a son of Hendrick Fredericksz de Wit. Through his marriage with Maria van der Waag of Amsterdam in 1661, he obtained citizenship of the city where he had been working since 1648 and where he became one of the most famous engravers of maps of the second half of the 17th century. Although De Wit was a Catholic, which meant that he was not favoured at the time by the city council, he was awarded the honour of being listed as one of the "excellent citizens" on the roll of the city council in the years 1694-1704. However, his name was not written in the Guild of St. Luke book before 1664. At that time, he lived on the Kalverstraat "in de Witte Pascaert", where he stayed until his death in 1706. His earliest dates on maps engraved are 1659 (Regni Daniae) and 1660 (World map).
Frederick de Wit published several world atlases, a sea atlas, and an atlas of the Netherlands.
The dating of the maps is difficult. However, as a privilege was granted in 1689, the annotation 'cum privilegio' marks an edition after 1688.
Around 1700, Frederick de Wit entered the market with a town atlas. He produced two volumes with a total of 260 plans and views. Most were printed from plates used for Janssonius and Blaeu town atlases.
After he died in 1706, his widow continued the shop until 1709. The plates and stock of De Wit's atlas were sold to Covens & Mortier in 1710, who sold the atlas for an extended period.
Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americae Descriptio.
Item Number: 24656 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > America > The Americas
Antique map of America by F. De Wit.
Date of the first edition: c. 1675
Date of this map: c. 1688
Copper engraving
Size: 49 x 58cm (19.1 x 22.6 inches)
Verso: Blank
Condition: Contemporary old coloured, some points highlighted in gold, lower centrefold split reinforced, some minor creasing along centrefold.
Condition Rating: A
References: Burden, 465, State 6; Tooley (America) p.120, #31; Portinaro & Knirsch XCIV.
From: Atlas, c. 1688.
The map is cartographically drawn directly from de Wit's own wall map wersion published in 1672. The most notable improvement is tge depiction of the five Great Lakes, this for the first time on a Dutch map. There is also an altered west coast depiction of the Hudson Bay region. Both features appear to have been taken from Guillaume Sanson's AMERIQUE SEPTENTRIONALE, published in 1669. The two decorative cartouches are extracted from Nicolaas Jansz. Visscher's map of the same first published c. 1658. The title cartouche is reversed and in the process New Zealand is removed from the map. The dedication which appeared in the othe us replaced by a description of the discovery of the Americas. (Burden)
Frederick de Wit (1630-1706)
The engraver and map-seller, Frederick de Wit, was born in Gouda (Netherlands) in 1630 as a son of Hendrick Fredericksz de Wit. Through his marriage with Maria van der Waag of Amsterdam in 1661, he obtained citizenship of the city where he had been working since 1648 and where he became one of the most famous engravers of maps of the second half of the 17th century. Although De Wit was a Catholic, which meant that he was not favoured at the time by the city council, he was awarded the honour of being listed as one of the "excellent citizens" on the roll of the city council in the years 1694-1704. However, his name was not written in the Guild of St. Luke book before 1664. At that time, he lived on the Kalverstraat "in de Witte Pascaert", where he stayed until his death in 1706. His earliest dates on maps engraved are 1659 (Regni Daniae) and 1660 (World map).
Frederick de Wit published several world atlases, a sea atlas, and an atlas of the Netherlands.
The dating of the maps is difficult. However, as a privilege was granted in 1689, the annotation 'cum privilegio' marks an edition after 1688.
Around 1700, Frederick de Wit entered the market with a town atlas. He produced two volumes with a total of 260 plans and views. Most were printed from plates used for Janssonius and Blaeu town atlases.
After he died in 1706, his widow continued the shop until 1709. The plates and stock of De Wit's atlas were sold to Covens & Mortier in 1710, who sold the atlas for an extended period.
