Jean Le Clerc was an engraver, bookseller and publisher who spent a number of years in Tours before moving to Paris sometime around 1594. This very rare map is derived from the Abraham Ortelius – Christopher Saxton map of 1603. This example is in the second state with his name present. The first is known in possibly only one example. It replicates Saxton’s map of England of 1579 in a beautifully engraved style. A naval battle is taking place off the Cornish coast. The map is often found in poor condition but here is in fine condition.

He is most noted for his separately published set of continental maps c.1602. In 1619 Le Clerc re-issued Maurice Bouguereau’s “Theatre Francois” of 1594 as the “Theatre Geographique du Royaume de France” and included many new plates. Kelly “Maps of the British isles, England and Wales, and Ireland”, in Mappae Antiquae Liber Amicorum Günter Schilder pp. 228-33; Loeb-Larocque “Ces Hollandaises habillees a Paris ou L’exploitation de la cartographie hollandaise par les editeurs parisiens au XVIIe siecle”, in “Theatrum Orbis Librorum. Liber Amicorum presented to Nico Israel” pp. 16-17; Pastoureau Le Clerc; Shirley 271.