Orbis Terrarum Nova et Accuratissima Tabula...: Pitt and van Loon, 1680

Title: Orbis Terrarum Nova et Accuratissima Tabula. Auctore Ioanne a Loon. Author: Johannes van Loon & Moses Pitt Date: 1680 Condition: See description Inches: 31 3/4 x 28 1/4 [Framed] Centimeters: 80.64 x 71.75 [Framed] Product ID: 308327 Scarce World Map from Moses Pitt’s The English Atlas This is an exquisite, old-color example of Moses Pitt’s celebrated double-hemisphere map of the world. The map boasts a fascinating lineage, originating from a plate first published by Johannes van Loon in his rare 1661 Zee Atlas, which itself drew heavily upon Nicolaes Visscher’s 1658 world map (Shirley 406). Moses Pitt and his partner later acquired this plate, alongside several others from the Blaeu family's Atlas Maior, with ambitious plans to produce an even grander English atlas in London. While the costly project ultimately bankrupt Pitt—landing him in debtor's prison after just four volumes—it yielded remarkable cartographic works. For this 1680 edition, Pitt significantly revised the original Van Loon plate by introducing a striking dedication cartouche to King Charles II (who had ascended the throne in 1660 following Oliver Cromwell's death), adding heraldic crests to the lower center, and incorporating a beautifully detailed lower scene. Geographically, the map serves as a captivating snapshot of 17th-century exploration. Notable cartographic features include the classic depiction of California as an island, the nascent coastlines of Australia and New Zealand, and a narrow Strait of Anian. Furthermore, the map lacks the Great Lakes and any land bridge connecting North America to Asia, perfectly reflecting the evolving, and sometimes speculative, geographic understanding of the era. Condition In closed corner custom gilt frame, two parallel vertical old folds, not examined out of frame. Colors are bright, inking lush and crisp, slight scattered stains. About excellent. Background on Creator Moses Pitt (1639-1679) was born in Cornwall and baptized at St. Teath in 1639. He received a local education before moving to London, where he was apprenticed to the bookseller Robert Littlebury. At the conclusion of his apprenticeship in 1661, he was admitted as a freeman of the Haberdasher’s Company, and his first books under his own imprint appeared in 1667. He specialized in learned publications, importing scholarly works from continental Europe and publishing authors associated with the newly established Royal Society, including Robert Boyle, as well as prominent churchmen. In 1678, he also became the first bookseller known to offer his stock by auction. Through his Royal Society connections, Pitt announced plans in 1678 for an ambitious twelve-volume world atlas. The plates were to be based on Dutch maps, with text prepared by Bishop William Nicholson and Richard Peers, but only four volumes were ever issued. Overextended by his various business interests, including property holdings in Westminster and a partnership in Oxford, Pitt was unable to sustain the costly project; he estimated that each atlas volume alone would cost £1,000 to produce. His ventures eventually collapsed, and he spent seven years in debtors’ prison. He died in London in 1697, though not while incarcerated. Reference, Shirley 264, 406, 439, and 504