The Art of maps: John Speed: Asia with the Islands adioyning described, the atire of the people, & Townes of importance, all of them newly augmented . . . 1626



Old Maps John Speed Asia with the Islands adioyning described 1626

Asia with the Islands adioyning described, the atire of the people, & Townes of importance, all of them newly augmented . . . 1626

Map Maker: John Speed Place

Date: London / 1676

Coloring: Hand Colored             Size: 20 x 15 inches                Condition: VG

Description:

Striking example of Speed’s map of Asia, decorated with 10 costumed figures and 8 town plans of important early Asian cities (Candy, Goa, Damascus, Jerusalem, Orumus, Bantam, Aden and Macao). Korea is shown as a slender oddly projected Peninsula.

The Great Wall of China is shown, along with and Elephant above the source of the Ganges. A nice simple/naïve Northeast passage is shown, along with a piece of North America and sea monsters in the extreme North Pacific and Southern Indian Sea. The text on the verso presents a fascinating Anglocentric view of Asia in the early 17th Century.

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