Maps

A spectacular two-sheet chart of Asia published in London in the early eighteenth century by the British mapmaker Herman Moll. The lower left hand corner has a cartouche with the title of the map which reads "To the Right Honorable William Lord Cowper, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain this map of Asia, according to ye newest and most exact observations is most humby dedicated by your Lordship's most humble servant Herman Moll Geographer. Above the title is a coat of arms and below are Asian people showing treasure such as porcelain, silk, and a casket of Jewels. The map includes many notes which were typical of Herman Moll. Many were accurate for their time. Some were less so such as "The Land and Sea between Japan, Corea and Jesso are hitherto undiscovered and it is not known whether Jesso be a part of ye Continent or not". Clearly Moll had not seen or had not paid much attention to the map of China 1655 published by Joan Blaeu in his Atlas Sinensis. Blaeu's map was based on Jesuit knowledge of the area mainly based on Chinese maps and compiled by the Jesuit, Martino Martini. This Clearly shows Jesso (Hokkaido) as an island.

Moll was probably born in Bremen and he travelled to London in the late 1670s. He became part of the the London literary circle in the late seventeenth century and early eighteenth century among whom were Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe. He produced many marvelous maps in the first third of the 18th century.

Framed.