MONTANUS, Arnoldus.
De nieuwe en onbekende weereld: of beschryving van America en t Zuid-Land, vervaetende doorsprong der Americaenen en Zuidlanders, gedenkwaerdige togten derwaerds,...
Amsterdam, Jacob Meurs, 1671. Folio. With a richly engraved allegorical frontispiece, 16 double-page engraved maps, including a large folding general map, 6 full-page engraved portraits, 32 double-page engraved views, including 2 large folding views of New Mexico and Mauritius, and 70 almost half-page engraved maps, views and illustrations in the text. The title-page is printed in red and black and contains Meurs' large engraved 'invidae prudentia victrix' device. Additionally, with a large, engraved head-piece showing Joann Maurits van Nassau's coat of arms on the first dedication leaf and with numerous woodcut decorated initials (at least 2 series). Contemporary blind-tooled vellum binding. [12], 585, [29] pp.
€ 28,000
First edition of an essential and richly illustrated classic work on America and especially Brazil. It presents a general survey of everything known about the new continent and is one of the few works that describes Brazil during the short period it was in Dutch hands. The main attraction of the work is the abundant amount of maps and illustrations. This, combined with Montanuss lively writing style, made this book a great success, and it gave many Europeans their first detailed view of the Americas.
The single volume is divided into three "books". The first is about the origins of the Americans and the discovery of America, the second describes North America and the third - and longest- part is about South America, with most of it devoted to Brazil. The last chapter, in nine pages, is the first published narrative of Tasmans famous 1642/43 voyage to Australia and Tasmania.
The work is appropriately dedicated to Johan Maurits, Prince of Nassau-Siegen (1604-1679), also known as "The Brasilian". He spent many years in Brazil and promoted the scientific study of the region. A large portrait of him is included on the first page. It is missing from many other copies, but present in this.
The maps are partly copied from De Laet's Nieuwe wereldt, but they were re-engraved and adorned with large cartouches. A few new maps of the American continent, made by G. van Schagen, were added. The work contains numerous views, including the one it is famous for: the first ever view of New York. The section on Brazil is also quite extensive, with a map and 15 double-page views, and another 15 views in the text. It makes up almost a third of the whole work.
The text is partly based on Joannes de Laets Nieuwe wereldt (1625 and later editions) as well as Adriaen vander Doncks Beschrijvinge van Nieuw-Nederlant (1655). Although Montanus never set foot in America, he made a valuable compilation based on many sources (including manuscripts that have not survived) and provides information not available in any earlier work.
The vellum is slightly bowned and scuffed, both gutters of the paste-downs have been reinforced with white tape, the outer margin of the engraved frontispiece has been reinforced with Japanese paper (without affecting the illustration) and some very slight (water-) stains in the margins. Otherwise internally fine and clean and overall in very good condition. Borba de Moraes, p. 586; Kleerkooper & Van Stockum, Boekhandel te Amsterdam, p. 421; Landis, 671/205; Palau, 177491; Rodrigues, 1683; Rodriques J. H., Historiografia e bibliografie do domínio Holandês no Brasil, 86; Sabin, 50086; Schilder, Australia Unveiled, p. 150; Tiele, Land- en volkenkunde, no. 763.
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