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M-10950: (Image: 13 ¼ x 19 3/8’’) “ISLANDIA.”  Antwerp: Abraham Ortelius, c. 1608.  Very fine engraved map with old hand-coloring and some recent added color. Verso text Italian. (Reference: Van den Broecke # 161).

Extremely decorative Renaissance map of the Island of Iceland. One of Ortelius’ most famous and desirable maps! Topographical features are shown in detail with Mt. Hekla erupting with fire.  Surrounding the map is a myriad of mythical sea monsters.  The explanation for each lettered monster is:

“A.  A fish, commonly called NAHVAL...  B.  Roider is a fish of one hundred and thirty ells in length, which has no teeth. .. C. BURCHVALUR has a head bigger than its entire body...D. Hyena or sea hog is a monstrous kind of fish...E. Ziphius a horrible sea monster that swallows a black seal in one bite...F.  English whale...G. HROSHUALUR, that is to say as much as Sea horse...H. Largest kind of Whale...I. SKAUTUHVALUR. This fish is fully covered with bristles or bones. ..K. SEENAUT, sea cow of grey color...L. STEIPEREIDUR, a most gentle and tame kind of whale...M. STAUKUL. The Dutch call it Springual. It has been observed to stand for a whole day long upright on its tail...N. ROSTUNGER (also called Rosmar) is somewhat like a sea calf...O. Spermaceti parmacitty or a simple kind of amber, commonly called HUALAMBUR.
P. Blocks and trunks of trees..Q. Huge and marvelously big heaps of ice... On some of these, white bears sit together...”