This plate was originally from the 1628 edition of the ‘Atlas Minor’ by Johannes Janssonius (Jansson, 1588-1664). This map consists of four islands in the British Isles. It is ultimately derived from the folio map of the same first published by Gerard Mercator in 1595.

There were several editions of the ‘Atlas Minor’ through to 1651. After his death in 1664 the fate of the copperplates is unknown. In the early 1700s they passed into the hands of Pierre van der Aa. They were included in the extremely rare ‘L’Atlas Soulagé’ published in Leiden, c.1710. In nine parts, the fourth relates to the British Isles. For this issue the plate was revised, most noticeably with some names anglicised such as the seas. The only title alteration was the removal of ‘ol: Vectis’ from the Isle of Wight. It was also included in the momentous 66 volume ‘La Galerie Agreable du Monde’, 1729. The most desirable issues by van der Aa are those where a separate outer ornate frame are printed, as here.

Pierre van der Aa (1659-1733) was born in Leiden, the son of a stone cutter or sculptor. By the time he was nine years old he was already apprenticed to a bookseller. By 1682 he was the owner of a bookshop and auction. His output is so large that Koeman was sure that there were works yet to be identified. His printed catalogue of 1729 alludes to the fact that works could be made to order. As with many of his published books, the source of the plates contained within is various. Provenance: Weinreb & Douwma; private Jersey collection. Koeman (1967-70) I Aa 5 no. 85, Aa 9 vol. 10, no. 13, II Me 194 no. 21; Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004).