A fine early sea chart of Japan

JANSSON, Jan.

Nova et Accurata Iaponiae, Terrae Esonis, ac Insularum adjacentium.
Amsterdam, c.1658. Fine original colour. 450 x 550mm, wide margins.

An early issue of Jansson's sea chart of Japan, first published in 1658. The map also shows the 'island' of Korea, and the semi-mythical islands of 'Eso' & 'Companies Land', making the contents more myth than reality.
It is interesting that this map differs markedly from Blaeu's map of 1655. Blaeu had used the cartography of Martino Martini (with Korea back on the mainland), while Jansson preferred the work of Maerten Gerritsz Vries. Jansson had first used his work in a pocket map in 1648: it was very unusual for a publisher to publish important new cartographical information in small format first.

HUBBARD: 30, state i of ii. WALTER: 57.
Stock ID : 22584