The Mysterious Final Blaeu World Map, Polar Projections; Superb! 1672

The Mysterious Final Blaeu World Map! Decorative double hemisphere World map on a polar projection, which was originally engraved by Johannes Blaeu circa 1672, but apparently never issued by Blaeu. This finely executed map was one of the final maps engraved by the Blaeu mapmaking family, likely completed on the even of the fire which destroyed the Blaeu company warehouse in 1672. The plate survived and was acquired by Gerald Valck, who replaced Blaeu's imprint with his own. Traces of Blaeu's original imprint can still be seen in the title cartouche at the bottom center of the map. The map shows California as an island; one of only 2 Blaeu maps to depict this cartographic myth. Other North American cartographic myths include the massive single Great Lake and the Rio Grande flowing southwestward to the Gulf of California, along with the mythical Straits of Anian, which are pushed north nearly to the Polar Circle. In the Pacific, the coastlines of New Zealand and Australia are beginning take shape. In South America, the mythical Parime Lacus is shown on the Equator, and the southern tip of the continent is oddly truncated due to the projection. In Asia, the relative sizes of the Philippines and Japan are greatly exaggerated. The map is embellished with images of billowing clouds, the sun, moon and an armillary sphere at top. The bottom of the map shows Eve emerging from the rib of Adam on the left, and on the right, a clothed and ashamed Adam is about to depart the Garden of Eden.