1675 · Amsterdam
by ROGGEVEEN, Arent (1628-1679)
Amsterdam, 1675. Engraving with contemporary hand-coloring on thick laid paper. The rare first sea chart from the Carolinas to Florida, here in a stunning hand-colored example.
First state of Roggveen's rare sea chart of the Southeasten Coast of North America, the first sea chart to focus on the region and one of great importrance, showing the region through which the majority of Spain's treasure ships from the New World sailed. This map is based on Dutch East India Company sources, and draws heavily on Hessel Gerritsz's rare sea chart of 1631, which survives in only 3 known examples. The map also likely reflects a manuscript chart by Johannes Vingboons. But the place-names and most of the cartographic details derive from Spanish sources. The map appear in Roggeveen's so-called "Burning Fen," described by Koeman as "the most interesting of all maritime works produced by Pieter Goos." Roggeveen, born in Delshaven, came to Middleburg, the seat of both Dutch East and West India Companies, in 1658. He worked for both companies teaching the art of navigation and helped to maintain their collections of hydrographic manuscripts and charts, including Spanish portolans of the West Indies. In the mid-1660s, asssisted by his access to these collections, Roggeveen embarked upon compiling a series of large-scale charts of the North American coastline, West Indies, and later West Africa. Many of his charts are based on the earlier work of Hessel Gerritsz and Johannes Vingboons, both cartographers for the Dutch East and West India Companies, but Roggeveen's work as the first to show the whole coastline of North America and the Caribbean. He called this pilot "Het Brandende Veen" or "the Burning Fen," a pun on his name, as "veen" means "fen," and a heap of burning fen represents a fire on the coast to guide or warn ships. The atlases were intended for use at sea, so few complete examples survive. Working sea charts and pilots from the 17th century are inherently rare due to the nature of their use. The vast majority were either destroyed by use or destroyed intentionally when updated versions were obtained.
Burden 452, first state. Cumming, Southeast 74 Koeman IV, Rog.1 (26) Lowery 162. (Inventory #: 41053)
First state of Roggveen's rare sea chart of the Southeasten Coast of North America, the first sea chart to focus on the region and one of great importrance, showing the region through which the majority of Spain's treasure ships from the New World sailed. This map is based on Dutch East India Company sources, and draws heavily on Hessel Gerritsz's rare sea chart of 1631, which survives in only 3 known examples. The map also likely reflects a manuscript chart by Johannes Vingboons. But the place-names and most of the cartographic details derive from Spanish sources. The map appear in Roggeveen's so-called "Burning Fen," described by Koeman as "the most interesting of all maritime works produced by Pieter Goos." Roggeveen, born in Delshaven, came to Middleburg, the seat of both Dutch East and West India Companies, in 1658. He worked for both companies teaching the art of navigation and helped to maintain their collections of hydrographic manuscripts and charts, including Spanish portolans of the West Indies. In the mid-1660s, asssisted by his access to these collections, Roggeveen embarked upon compiling a series of large-scale charts of the North American coastline, West Indies, and later West Africa. Many of his charts are based on the earlier work of Hessel Gerritsz and Johannes Vingboons, both cartographers for the Dutch East and West India Companies, but Roggeveen's work as the first to show the whole coastline of North America and the Caribbean. He called this pilot "Het Brandende Veen" or "the Burning Fen," a pun on his name, as "veen" means "fen," and a heap of burning fen represents a fire on the coast to guide or warn ships. The atlases were intended for use at sea, so few complete examples survive. Working sea charts and pilots from the 17th century are inherently rare due to the nature of their use. The vast majority were either destroyed by use or destroyed intentionally when updated versions were obtained.
Burden 452, first state. Cumming, Southeast 74 Koeman IV, Rog.1 (26) Lowery 162. (Inventory #: 41053)