Nova Franconiae Descriptio. Amsterdam

Rare 'carte-à-figure' of Franconia engraved by Abraham Goos in 1626 for J. Janssonius. Showing Franconia with Bamberg, Wurzburg, Nuremberg, Heidelberg and Wertheim. The map has coats of arms and costumed figures in the side borders. Lower border contains views of Bamberg, Fulda, Rothenburg and Budingen. The views of Nuremberg and Wurzburg are missing. Second state of two. Even with the losses a decorative map, worth in complete conditions around 2000,- Euro.

Upper margin cut up to the title of the map, missing the upper city views. Tears in lower centrefold, left and lower side backed.

Johannes Janssonius also known as Jan Jansson was born 1588 in Arnhem, Netherlands. His father was a bookseller and publisher (Jan Janszoon the Elder). When he married the daughter of the cartographer Jodocus Hondius he also set up a business as book publisher in Amsterdam. His first map was published in 1616. Around 15 years later he set up a partnership with his brother in law Hondius add issued further editions of the Mercator/Hondius atlas. After his death in 1664, his heirs still have published several maps. Many of his plates have been acquired by Pieter Schenk and Gerard Valk.