Blaeu Map of Southern Africa 1635 (unrestored)
By Willem Janzoon Blaeu (1571-1638).
c.1635.
Hand coloured copperplate engraving.
Africa is depicted with cities, buck and elephant. In the oceans can be seen a sailing ship, and a turtle. The decorative cartouche features a scale in German miles on a neoclassical carved marble like base. On the top are 3 Colobus monkeys (East Africa), 2 tortoises, and 2 Africans holding up an animal skin. Featured also is Table Bay and the Cape of Good Hope (20 years prior to Jan van Riebeek’s’ settlement). Matthaus Merian copied this map and published it in 1638. See Norwich map 154.
573mm x 480mm
R12,500.