Original hand-coloured copper engraved map of Asia by Frederick de Wit published in his first important atlas issued over the period 1671-1676. This is the first edition of the original map with a revised title, republished during the period 1691-1696. This map is in mint condition.
This map shows the total extent of what ‘traditionally’ was called Asia. This included Arabia and Turkey in the West extending to Russia, China and Mongolia in the north, with Japan, the Philippines, the East Indies and Western New Guinea to the East. Corea is shown as a small peninsula. The large mythical Chiammay Lacus, located in China, spawns five major south flowing rivers. The north coast of Australia titled Hollandia Nova is shown clearly bottom right with the Dutch discoveries of Van Dieman and Arnhem annotated. At lower left de Wit places a decorative title cartouche comprising numerous robed figures, a camel, exotic birds and goods for trade. A characteristic feature of Dutch maps of this period is that they were based solely on the results of actual observation and where that was lacking, no coastlines were shown, note top right and the sketchy outline of Hokkaido.
The engraver and map-seller, Frederick de Wit, was born in Gouda (Netherlands) in 1630, the son of Hendrick Fredericksz de Wit. He worked in Amsterdam from 1648 and through his marriage to Maria van der Waag in 1661, obtained citizenship of the city.
De Wit became one of the most famous engravers of maps of the second half of the 17th century. Even though De Wit was a Catholic, which meant 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 Council from 1694 to 1704. He lived on the Kalverstraat in de Witte Pascaert, where he resided until his death in 1706.
Frederick de Wit published several world atlases, a sea atlas, and a town atlas of the Netherlands. His earliest engraved maps with his name shown are dated from 1659. We do know that a privilege was granted in 1689, and all maps and editions after that date had the annotation ‘Amftelodami cum privilegio’.
At the turn of the 18th Century, de Wit produced a Town Atlas which was produced in two volumes with a total of 260 plans and views. Most were printed from plates used for Janssonius and Blaeu town atlases.
After his death in 1706, his widow continued the business until 1709. The plates and stock were sold to the company of Covens & Mortier in 1710, who proceeded to sell his maps and atlases for an extended period, with their names engraved in the plates.
References: Carhart (De Wit) #10.4; Yeo #59
