This sea chart of the Pacific Ocean was engraved for Arnold Colom’s ‘Zee-Atlas’ published in Amsterdam c.1658. “It is derived from that of Joannes Janssonius bearing the same title, 1650. Cartographically the map is largely unaltered; the Californian coastline is identical. The largest difference is the lack of any Terra Incognita to the north. The delineation of Tierra del Fuego is improved, but it lacks the internal detail of Janssonius’. A single engraved line without shading is interestingly used to depict the coastlines. A large decorative cartouche in the lower left corner bears the dedication to Georgio Backer.” (Burden). In rapid succession alterations were made to the plate. The first state omits a portion of the northern coast of Japan which in this second state is here complete. Three ensuing states would be issued by Hendrick Doncker.

Arnold Colom (1623/4-68) was the son of Jacob Aerstz. Colom (1600-73) from Dordrecht, a printer and publisher of maps, globes, and books. “Father and son appear to have followed separate careers at first, Arnold producing his own independent atlases. In fact, his world atlas was published before that of his father. The first Dutch sea atlas of the world was Joannes Janssonius’ of 1650. However, that atlas was not particularly uniform or complete. Colom’s was large in format and is one of the most important of all the Dutch sea atlases produced. Burden (1996) 331; Koeman (1967) vol. 4 pp. 114-17 & pp. 152-5 Don 16 no. 78; McLaughlin & Mayo (1995) nos. 19 & 61; The A. E. Nordenskiöld Collection (1979) no. 53; Phillips (1909-) nos. 464, 480 & 3330.