Strait of Gibraltar
€425.00
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Nieuwe Paskaart van’t Naauw van de Straat gevolgt na die van de Ed: Heer Capt: H: Lynslager
Original Dutch Sea Chart by Johannes Ratelband, ca. 1720
After the observations of Captain H. Lynslager
This finely detailed and beautifully hand-colored early 18th-century Dutch sea chart illustrates the Strait of Gibraltar—the vital maritime gateway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Titled “Nieuwe Paskaart van’t Naauw van de Straat”, this original copperplate engraving was published by Johannes Ratelband, a respected Amsterdam map and chart dealer of the period.
Based on the firsthand navigational records of Captain H. Lynslager, the map was designed to aid Dutch maritime navigation during a period when control of key straits was of immense strategic and commercial importance.
The upper portion presents a nautical chart with coastal place names, rhumb lines, a decorative compass rose, and clearly defined shorelines from Spain, Gibraltar, and North Africa (Barbarie). The lower section offers a profile coastal view—an illustrated elevation of the strait as seen from the sea, complete with sailing vessels and numbered landmarks corresponding to the legend (Verklaring) at right.
Key Details:
- Cartographer/Publisher: Johannes Ratelband
- Based on observations by: Capt. H. Lynslager
- Date: circa 1720
- Title: Nieuwe Paskaart van’t Naauw van de Straat
- Medium: Copperplate engraving with hand coloring
- Language: Dutch
- Dimensions: 17,5 x 46 cm
- Condition: Excellent for age; clean impression, fine color, light centerfold as issued
Significance
A superb example of Dutch maritime cartography in the early 18th century, this chart combines navigational accuracy with artistic elegance. It stands as a valuable artifact of the Dutch Republic’s seafaring legacy and its commercial reach into the Mediterranean world.