A fine example of Johannes van Keulen’s sea chart of the Pacific Ocean incorporating most of the American continent. Between 1681 and 1684 he had published five volumes of the ‘Zee-Fakkel’, an extensive atlas of sea charts. The chart is included in his first work entitled the ‘Zee-Atlas’. Van Keulen (1654-1715) was born in Deventer, before moving with his family at a young age to Amsterdam. He was enrolled in the booksellers’ guild in 1678. An accomplished publisher he lacked the technical skills of chart-making and relied on the work of the well-known mathematical practitioner Claas Janz Vooght.

This chart was published in 1680 and is here in its first state of three. “‘NIEU NEDERLANDT’ is still written large, holding on to the idea of a Dutch presence in North America which had ended in 1674, although recognition of the English possession is, in fact, given as ‘Nieuw Yorck’ is identified without mention of the Dutch name New Amsterdam. ‘Verginia’ is given greater prominence. California is altered to reflect the more recent belief of a double bay northern coastline first depicted by Luke Foxe in 1635. Here van Keulen draws upon the Pieter Goos form of 1663 with a mainland peninsula labelled ‘Agubela de Cato’, and a ‘Straet Anian’ immediately to the north of it.” (Burden).

In the east the discovery by Abel Tasman of New Zealand and Tasmania is recorded. “The Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, is featured as is the mistaken ‘COMPAGNIES LAND’, which was, in fact, one of the Kurile Islands. The map also appeared in the ‘Zee-Fakkel’, but not in the fourth volume like the other American related charts. It is found in the fifth one first published in 1683.” (Burden). The map is completed with an ornate title cartouche.

References: Burden (1996-2007) 518; Clancy (1995) 7.4; Koeman (196770) IV pp. 276401, Keu 2, no. 36 & p. 395 nos. 29 & 182 (incorrectly believing them to be two separate plates); Leighly (1972) no. 29; McLaughlin & Mayo (1995) no. 76; Phillips (1909-) nos. 584, 3333, 3444, 3453, 5692 & 5693; Tooley (1964) p. 123 no. 45.