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Thread: Green Africa in "1st Map of the World"?

  1. #1

    Default Green Africa in "1st Map of the World"?

    I'm trying to find out any information about the attached map. No idea about origin or age - it's been in my family for a while and I am just curious. Most curious about why Africa is shaded green!

    Anyone know anything?

    Thanks!!
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  2. #2

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    There's one like it for sale on a site (scroll down)
    http://www.peterharrington.co.uk/sto...y/world/man-d/
    also here
    http://www.iberlibro.com/1st-Map-Wor.../2378334751/bd
    they seem to be coloured differently though.

    Any help?
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  3. #3
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    Labels are few, Africa has been traced over in pencil and shaded in...looks like this was the start of a map that never got finished and then someone gave it to his kid who improvised the Africa bit. I wouldn't think it to be worth much.
    If the radiance of a thousand suns was to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One...I am become Death, the Shatterer of worlds.
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  4. #4

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    The title "1st Map of the World", plus the relative simplicity, makes me speculate that this was made specifically for children. In any case (since the OP might not know), it was common back in the day for maps to be sold uncolored, with the expectation that the customer would color it in themselves if they so desired.

  5. #5

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    The label "New Holland" dates it probably prior to 1824, which is when the UK officially changed the name of the continent to Australia.

    It looks to me like the same map as linked by Crayons, published 1795. From the images of those two maps, it looks like the other continents may have been colored at one time, too, but the colors have faded. My guess is that it was hung somewhere that it was exposed to the sun, which bleached out the colors.
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  6. #6

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    Indeed. Some traces of color are clearly visible on Europe and around the Strait of Malacca.

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