Rare Dutch map / chart of the Banda Islands, part of the Indonesian province of Maluku, comprising the important Spice Islands. The Banda Islands are part of the Moluccas archipelago to the west of New Guinea. Until the mid-19th century the Banda Islands were the world's only source of the spices nutmeg and mace, produced from the nutmeg tree.
Pieter van der Aa (1659 - 1733) was a Dutch publisher working in Leiden during the early eighteenth century. He is best known for publishing maps and atlases, though he also printed pirated editions of foreign bestsellers and illustrated volumes. From "Nouvel atlas...contenant les principales cartes géographiques dressées suivant les nouvelles observations de Mr. de l'Académie royale des sciences" published in 1714 from Leiden by Van der Aa. Plate number 27 (in manuscript).
Printed on a large sheet measuring 19" W x 15" H.Stuyvesant Square — A serene twin-section park divided by Second Avenue, known for its 19th-century cast-iron fence, mature trees, and proximity to historic St. George’s Church.
Tompkins Square Park — The cultural heart of the East Village, long a center of activism and community life, with open lawns, dog runs, and a lively mix of events and street performers.
Union Square Park — A bustling crossroads of commerce and protest since the mid-1800s, famous for its farmers’ market, subway hub, and statues of Lincoln and Washington.
Washington Square Park — Iconic Greenwich Village landmark crowned by the Washington Arch, surrounded by NYU and known for its fountain, musicians, and timeless Bohemian energy.
Bloomingdale Square — Planned in the early 19th century near today’s Upper West Side, this park was never fully developed; its site was later absorbed into the grounds around the American Museum of Natural History (now Theodore Roosevelt Park).
Hamilton Square — Once a designated public ground east of present-day Third Avenue in Midtown, the square was eventually redeveloped and no longer survives as open parkland.
Observatory Place — A short-lived 19th-century square proposed for uptown Manhattan, named for a planned astronomical observatory near Yorkville; the plan was never realized as a lasting park.
Mount Morris Square — Established in 1839 and later renamed Marcus Garvey Park, this central Harlem landmark remains an important public space featuring a historic fire watchtower and community facilities.
Manhattan Square — Laid out in the 19th century and later transformed into Theodore Roosevelt Park, it now surrounds the American Museum of Natural History as a cherished Upper West Side green space.