Nova Africae Tabula

This is an attractive map by Jodocus Hondius showing the continent of Africa.

"Hondius map of Africa is an important transitional map, bridging the earlier work of Ortelius, Mercator and others, with the more modern maps of Willem Blaeu in 1608, Claesz. in 1617, and others. The geography for this map is taken from a variety of sources. Some of the interior of Africa is based on Mercator's 1595 map of Africa, but numerous additions and changes have been made. Hondius had access to the books of exploration of Africanus, Pigafetta (based on the travel account of Duarte Lopez), Ramusion, De Barros, and others. These were supplemented by the more recent Dutch sources such as Van Linschoten's Itinerario with the two maps of the Southern portion of Africa based on Portuguese sources. [...] This map of Africa was issued along with Gerard Mercator's 1595 map, Africa ex magna orbis terre... in the various editions of the Mercator-Hondius Atlas up to 1630." (R. Betz)

In 1604, Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) – probably trought Cornelis Claesz - bought the copperplates of Mercator’s Atlas sive cosmographicae meditationes de fabrica mundi at the auction of Gerard Jr.’s effects. He added about 40 maps, including new maps of the Continents and important regional maps of the Americas, before publishing a new edition of the Atlas, in 1606, in competition with Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. As many of the maps were more up-to-date, the Mercator-Hondius Atlas effectively superseded Ortelius’ Theatrum.  This atlas from 1606 include all 107 maps from the 1595 edition, as well as 37 new maps, skillfully engraved by Hondius, of various authors.

The second edition of the Mercator-Hondius atlas followed as soon as 1607/08. The first edition in another language, French, was put on the market in 1609. Apparently this one was regarded as the third edition, because in 1611 Editio Quarta appeared with a total of 150 maps. After the death of Jodocus Hondius in 1612 his widow and sons continued the publication of the Atlas. For instance Jodocus Junior (1594-1629) produced several new editions of the Editio Quarta between 1613 and 1619, each with the same 150 maps. Finally in 1619 the last edition of this atlas followed, to which six new maps were added. After 1620 the publication of the Atlas was continued by Henricus Hondius (ca. 1596/97-1651), the second son of Jodocus senior. Various editions appeared, in 1623, 1628 and 1630. Henricus Hondius was the first to make some real changes: in the 1628 edition he provided some Mercator maps with his own name. In 1630, when he was probably already cooperating with his brother-in- law Johannes Janssonius, Henricus added nine new maps.