-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Any Advice?
Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 11:43:35 -0700
From: Leta Hunt <[log in to unmask]>
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All,
I am wondering if anyone can provide advice for the following patron
question.
Li
Leta Hunt <[log in to unmask]>
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Hello. Can you help before I go mad? I have been looking at your site,
and particularly at the section on old Maps of the Korean Sea; I've
also explored many other websites, in the hope of identifying an old
map which I acquired about 25-30 years ago in London.
A picture library was clearing out some of its originals, and simply
stacked them up outside their door with small prices on them. It was
somewhere around Wardour Street in Soho, I believe, but that's all I
can remember. I bought a couple of the maps.Some years later, I framed
them.
The map in question is entitled "Asie Ancienne". It is a copper plate
line engraving printed in black and without hand colouring. The image
area measures 10.7 cm X 14.5 cm and is in a portrait format. There are
initials which overlap the lower right border/plate mark which say
"A.ij" ( that's A I J - but with the second and third letters lower
case). These initials appear to have been stamped on after the print
was made, and from their crudeness and slight smudgy character, I think
this was done with a small woodcut block.
Below the map itself is an engraved scene and various deorative
devices. At the top centre, flanking the title in its cartouche, rather
mature and clumsy-looking winged cherubs draw drapery upward toward a
burning/smoking brazier. The cartouche/waisted lozenge holding the
title is 'supported' on either side by sphinxes. They rest on a mound;
to their left is a very crudely drawn camel and vegetation. To their
right are two people with their backs to the viewer, wearing long gowns
with long, full sleeves (kimonos or Arab robes) ; to their right and in
the background are two people riding camels delineated in a manner
that suggests the artist has never seen these animals. An imaginary
plain and distanct mountains complete the scene.
The outlines of the map come almost right up to the copper plate's
edges; the plate marks are quite clear; it must have been tricky to
engrave so close to the edges!
The map extends in the north from the "Ocean Septrional" to the "Ocean
Indien" in the south. The western limit cuts through a very crude
depiction of Africa and Europe, roughly from the middle of the
Mediterranean eastward as far as the "Ocean Oriental".
Places named include (from West to east):
Mer Mediterranee, I. Sporades, Pont Euxin, Cypre I. Asie Mineure,
Colchide, Syrie,Iberie, Albanie, Mer Caspienne, M. Taurus (mountains),
Eufrate R., Tigre R., Arabie, Sarmatie Asiatique; Perses, Parthes, I.
Manioles, Scythie, M. Caucase (mtns),
Inde R. and gange R., Inde, Taprobana I. (Ceylon), Region Serique,
Region des Sines, Sindes (islands), Japadi I. (Japan, I think),
Sebadibes I. , and Barusses (an archipelago - Indonesia?)
As I say, I have searched far and wide and compared maps on sites with
what I have. The nearest comparison for the way the map depicts Asia is
an example on www.swaen.com Lot No. 00417, a map called "Asia noviter
delineata, pub. by W. Blaeu in Amsterdam dated 1650. So I think mine
may be of a similar date.
India on my map is very thin, and Ceylon huge in relation to its true
size, so I expect this map was made at a time when the spice trade made
this a hot destination. The Nile River is shown far beyond its true
extent also.
Do you have any idea of the owner of the initials "A ij" ? Date or
place of publication - or advice on websites or authorities I may not
have tried? I really want to track down the provenance. At some point,
I would like to get the map valued for insurance purposes.
Although the map is in French, and presumably printed in France or for
a French buying public, I did wonder whether the initials might relate
to Anthonie Jacobsz (1606-50), as the style of the map fits his dates.
So far - sadly - I have not been able to locate any examples of his
work online to compare.
N.B.
The map has not been out of its frame in 10 years, so I have not
described the paper. But the whole thing is clean and in very good
condition. If it would help you, I can remove it, scan it and send the
map as a PDF. Please let me know.
Many thanks in advance for any advice or help you can give!
Judy Roland
Verbatim: the professional writing service
The Sugar House,
Llanwenarth Citra,
Abergavenny,
Wales, UK NP7 7ET
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