Lot 449 , John Wolfe & Robert Beckit Map of Arabia and India 14.75 x 20.5in, unframed.

John Wolfe & Robert Beckit
copper engraving
Map of Arabia and India from the English edition of Linschoten's Itinerario, 1598, printed by John Wolfe and engraved by Robert Beckit. The map itself was originally drawn by Petrus Plancius, one of the leading advocates of Dutch trade with Southeast Asia.
14.75 x 20.5in, unframed.
Estimate £500-800

This has been trimmed along the neatline, probably just going into the very edge of it particularly at the top, five dark discoloured spots where presumably the print had been tabbed down at some point, a pin head sized hole in the upper dark spot in the centrefold. The start of a slight split at the bottom of the centrefold running approx 0.25 inch, paper evenly discoloured, not framed or mounted with fold marks showing as per our photographs.

Jan Huyghen van Linschoten was a Dutch traveller who entered the service of the Portuguese Bishop of Goa, the metropolitan seat for the Portuguese East Indies. While there, Linschoten assiduously assembled a considerable archive of material about the Portuguese possessions throughout the world, including several maps. When he returned to Holland, he smuggled these materials away, and published them as the Itinerario (Amsterdam, 1596), now regarded as one of the great travel books in history. It also gave great impetus to the Dutch quest to establish an overseas trading empire which became the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

In England, an active London publisher, John Wolfe, produced a pirated edition, for which he commissioned a new set of maps, copied from the originals in the Dutch edition, but engraved by English craftsmen. This map, and four others, were engraved by the instrument-maker Robert Beckit who, apart from a sector made in 1597, is otherwise unknown, although evidently a competent engraver.

This map, revealing the most secret and detailed Portuguese knowledge, was a revelation to the Dutch and English, and played an important role in stimulating commercial expeditions to these regions, while serving as an essential guide on board ship on these voyages, with the attendant rigours of usage, water and climate,


Descriptions provided in both printed and on-line catalogue formats do not include condition reports. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Interested bidders are strongly encouraged to request a condition report on any lots upon which they intend to bid, prior to placing a bid. All transactions are governed by Gorringes Conditions of Sale.

Sold for £1,700