David Spilman Fine Books

Limes Occidentis Quivira et Anian; [The Western Borders of Quivira (Pacific Northwest - Quivira Regnum) and Anian (Alaska - Anian Regnum)]

Wytfliet, Cornelius van

Douay: Francois Fabri, 1607. Very Good. Second State. [9.25x11.5in, 23x29cm neat line, 12x15.25in, 30.5x38.7cm sheet], Uncolored engraved double page map of the west coast of North America; Vertical center fold with four pin holes for sewn binding, verso blank with binding strip at fold; Age-toning along edges, minor soiling, three small foxing spots. [Burden 107, Rumsey 11622.051, Wagner Northwest 189] CS. Item #14121

Cornelius van Wytfliet (ca 1550-1597) was a Flemish cartographer and engraver in the late 16th Century. Little is know about him or his works. He is known for publishing the first Atlas to deal exclusively with North America. In 1597 he published 'Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum' in Lovain with 19 maps, which was described as a supplement to Ptolemy's world maps. After Wytfliet's death, or editions were published with revisions and additions. This map is a second state (1607, without the 1597 or other dates in the legend) published in 1611 in Douary by Francois Fabri with 23 maps in Histoire Universelle des Indes Occidentales et Orientales (the 3rd edition in French).

The Limes Occidentis Quivira et Anian is considered the first map of Alaska. However, it was not based on any exploration or surveys. With a lazy eye, you can see the resemblance of the Seward Peninsula within the Arctic circle and the beginnings of the Alaska Peninsula. This map was used as a basis for other map makers and the name of Anian Regnum was common for the region. There is a reorientation and distortion of the North America western coast and interior, which was similar to other map makers at the time due the the lack of survey data. Much of the towns, rivers and coastal points are mythical and drawn from imagination, legends and earlier maps.

This map was from the library of Dr. G. Warren Smith (1941-2021) of Pennsylvania. He had a long career as university professor and administrator, and was a collector of over 6,000 books, maps, illustrations, and artifacts relating to the Arctic, Alaska and Pacific Northwest.

Price: $1,700.00