Straet, Jan van der [Johannes STRADANUS] and Adriaen COLLAERT, engraver

Oblong 4to (9 1/2 x 13 in; 240 x 330 mm). Engraved title and 3 engraved plates, after Stradanus, engraved by Collaert.  Each measuring approximately 225 x 285 mm. tipped onto larger sheets of 18th century blue laid paper. Expertly bound to style in half eighteenth century russia over early 18th century marbled paper covered boards; very slight foxing to a few plate margins.

Sabin 92665; Tooley, "One of the Rarest Picture Atlases" in The Map Collector, 2 (March 1978), pp. 22-24; cf. Hollstein 467-470.

A significant and early pictorial Americanum: including the earliest depiction of American fauna.

"Americae Retectio is a rare continental picture atlas by Stradanus and Collaert commemorating the successive discoveries of America by Columbus, Vespucci and Magellan ... Designed to celebrate the first centenary of the discovery of the New World, Americae Retectio is one of the most important of these historical picture atlases" (Tooley).

The plates designed and drawn by Stradanus consists of an engraved illustrated title and three engraved plates depicting Christopher Columbus, Americus Vespucci and Ferdinand Magellan aboard their respective ships, approaching the New World.  Inscriptions beneath each engraving describes and praises the accomplishments of the explorer.

On the third plate Vespucci stands on his deck, holding a quadrant. Above his head is a pennant with his own emblem of wasps (Vespe). Around him are Hercules, holding some lilies (symbol of Florence); Mars riding a Tortoise drawn by four lions; and a pair of aquatic cannibals, holding severed limbs. The verse translates: "Americus Vespucci of Florence in a Portentious Expedition to the West and to the South Opened up Two Parts of the Earth, Larger than the Shores which we Inhabit and not Known to us Before, One of which by Common Consent of All Human Beings is Called by his Name America." This plate constitutes the earliest depiction of American fauna, pre-dating John White's drawings.

The plates were designed by Stradanus, engraved by Collaert, and originally published by Philip Galle in circa 1592. There are three editions of Americae Retectio: the first and third were issued from the original plates, with the second edition, issued in the early 17th century, being re-engraved by Mateo Florimi and not equal in quality to the original. This is an example of the third edition, published from the original plates in 1638 by John Galle, the grandson of the original publisher Philip Galle.