This is the lower left sheet only from the spectacularly decorative four-sheet Blaeu wall map of the American continent. First published by Willem Blaeu (1571-1638) in 1608, this is from the first derivative published by Godefridus de Scaicki in Rome, c.1627. The original was an extremely influential map copied by many mapmakers. The nature of a wall map leaves it open to the elements and the survival rate of all is very poor. Scaicki drew on Blaeu’s edition of c.1626 which included the recent discoveries of Jacob Le Maire, here seen in the south polar map. This later edition is from that published by Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi (1627-91). Only one known complete example of this edition survives, in the Maritiem Museum, Rotterdam, also in sheet form.

The map covers the South Pacific and displays the fictional southern continent of ‘Terra Australis’. A very large inset focuses on that continent named ‘Magallanica sive Terra Australis Incognita’ and displays Tierra del Fuego and the tip of South America with the track of Le Maire displayed. Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic is shown as is ‘Beach Provincia’ which was conflated with New Holland (Australia) for many years. Much of the East Indies is also included. Provenance: Jonathan Potter 2004; Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Burden (2007) 219a; Burden ‘Corrigenda and Addenda’ available at www.caburdenraremaps.com; Christies, London, 20 May 1998 lot 22; Palma, Maria Teresa di (1991); Schilder (1996) pp. 199-208.