Fine Dutch Sea Chart of the Pacific in Original Color

Frederick de Wit, c1680 (Ottens, c1720) :

Magnum MARE del ZUR cum Insula CALIFORNIA.  Excellent. Fine original color. 49.5 x 57 cm. $5200.

A superb example of this mariner's chart of the the Pacific, including the island of California, Japan, the scant inventory of islands then known of the major Pacific groups, and traces of New Zealand, Australia, and Tasmania. The fine Baroque title cartouche displays mythological figures and is surmounted by a portrait of Magellan. That subsequent editions of the map (by Renard) were always amended is cited by Koeman as proof that the work was meant for use at sea.

The engraver and map-seller, Frederick de Wit, was born at Gouda in 1630 as a son of Hendrick Fredericksz de Wit. Through his marriage with Maria van der Waag of Amsterdam in 1661, he obtained the citizenship of the city where he had been working since 1648 and where he became one of the most famous engravers of maps of the second half of the 17th century. Although De Wit was a Catholic, which meant that he was not favoured at the time by the city-council, he was awarede the honour of being listed as one of the 'goede mannen' (excellent citizen) on the roll of the city council in the years 1694-1704. His name was not written in the book of the Giuld of St. Luke before 1664. At that time, he already lived on the Kalverstraat 'in de Witte Pascaert', where he stayed until his death in 1706. The earliest dates on maps engraved by him are 1659 on the map Regni Daniae and 1660 on the world map 'Nova totius terrarum tabula auctore F. de Wit . . .1660.' This world map was incorporated in the sea-atlases by Hendrick Doncker (replaced by the world map by Nicolas Visscher after 1670). His activities as an engraver of maps and prints are not too well documented. After his death in 1706 (buried on 3 August in the New Church at Amsterdam), his widow contined the shop until 1709. That was the last year she paid for enrolment in the Guild of St. Luke. She was burried in the New Church on 3 November 1711. (Municipal Archives, Amsterdam). The plates and stock of De Wit's atlas were sold to Covens & Mortier in the spring of 1710. Only De Wit's son, Francois, is mentioned as the heir to the estate of Frederick. Obviously, he was not interested in the map-and book-trade. The atlas was sold for a long period by Covens & Mortier. (-from Koeman).