DESCRIPTION: Rare antique "secret" chart of the raised coral atoll of Cosmoledo of the Aldabra Group, belonging to the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The name Cosmoledo is said to honor a Portuguese navigator, who was part of Juan de Nova's crew. De Nova was a Galician explorer of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans at the service of Portugal. He is credited as the discoverer of Ascension and Saint Helena islands.
The chart is very sparse showing only a thin circle of land ringing the atoll with five palm trees and a related few notes. No soundings .
From the sixth part of van Keuelen's "de Nieuwe Groote Lichtende Zee-Fakkel" based on secret charts of the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC). Prior to the mid-18th century these charts were only disseminated in manuscript to safeguard what the VOC considered to be its proprietary trade secrets. The Dutch East India Company was the dominant trade force in Asia for nearly 200 years.
Bears the attribution at bottom: "In't ligt gebragt door Joannes van Keulen".
PUBLICATION DATE: 1753
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Seychelles
BODY OF WATER: Indian Ocean
CONDITION: Good.
Clean with light age-toning to bottom margin. A few wormholes. Laid to an additional sheet.
COLORING: Original hand coloring. The green bleeding through to the verso.
ENGRAVER:
SIZE: 10
" x
9 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 6
PRICE: $275
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