Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer sourced information from manuscript charts, rutters, and ships’ logs, all of which he synthesised and systematised for the first time and illustrated with informative and beautifully engraved charts. First published in Dutch in 1583–1584 as ‘Spieghel der Zeevaerdt’, the oversized map of Europe in this edition is in the first state, showing a circular Iceland, all other maps in Koeman state ‘B’.

Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer (c. 1534–c. 1606) was a Dutch cartographer known for his pioneering contributions to nautical cartography. Waghenaer is one of the founding fathers and most famous members of the North Holland school, which played a major role in the early development of Dutch nautical chartmaking. 

Between 1550 and 1579, Waghenaer sailed as a chief officer and was in contact with Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian seafarers from whom he gained knowledge of maritime charts and sailing instructions. After his seafaring career, he worked in the port of Enkhuizen, as collector of maritime dues. His first publication, ‘Spieghel der Zeevaerdt’ (‘Mariner's Mirror’), appeared in 1584. This chartbook combined an atlas of nautical charts and sailing directions with instructions for navigation on the western and north-western coastal waters of Europe. It was the first of its kind in the history of nautical cartography and was an immediate success. 

In 1592, his second pilot book, ‘Thresoor der Zeevaert’ (‘Treasure of Navigation’), was published. His third and last publication, ‘Enchuyser Zeecaertboeck’, was released in 1598. The demand for Waghenaer’s charts required translations for foreign pilots, and this Latin version was only the first, with subsequent translations into English, German, and French.

This wonderfully illustrated, richly coloured work is the earliest European printed sea atlas. It was created by Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer who brought together for the first time detailed information from manuscripts, rutters, and ships’ logs, which he systematised and illustrated with informative and beautifully engraved charts. Waghenaer standardised and updated the pictorial silhouettes traditionally used by pilots, drew compass roses and lines of navigational direction, and included soundings to help navigators. 

Subsequent charts of the European coastline were based on Waghenaer’s work for at least a century. They were called after him ‘waghenaers’ or ‘waggoners’ in English and ‘chartiers’ in French. The demand for Waghenaer’s charts required translations for foreign pilots, of which this Latin version was the first.

Published charts of the coast of Europe were based on Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer’s work for at least a century and all such later collections of sea charts were called after him ‘waghenaers’ or ‘waggoners’ in English and ‘chartiers’ in French.

West Europe, The Atlantic, North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea

Title page to the first part

Diagram of the points of the compass

Compass rose design for navigation

The North Sea

North Sea around Flanders

The sea around Normandy and Flanders

The seas around England

The seas around Brittany 

The sea from Poictou to Bordeaux

Biscay, Spain

Biscay, Spain 2

Biscay, Spain 3

Biscay, Spain 4

Galicia, Spain

Galicia, Spain 2

Galicia, Spain 3

Ports of Galicia, Spain

Ports of Galicia, Spain 2

Algarve, Portugal

Andalusia, Spain

Cornwall and the English Channel 

English Channel 

Title page to the second part

North Sea map 1

North sea map 2

North sea map 3

North sea map 4

North sea map 5

Norwegian seas

Coast of Norway

Scandinavian seas 

Coast of Sweden 

Coast of Finland 

Coast of Livonia 

Coast of Livonia 2

Coast of Courland 

Coast of Prussia 

Pomerania

Mekelen Borch, Belgium

Coast of Zeeland 

The Netherlands 

German seas

German seas 2

Groeningen

A fine example of the first Latin edition of the earliest printed sea atlas; complete, with fine contemporary hand-colour in full.

2 parts in one volume, folio, contemporary vellum gilt, repairs to upper corners

Engraved allegorical titlepage to the first part, titlepage with woodcut border to the second part, ‘Ad lectorem’, without dedication (as often), 45 double-page engraved charts by Joannes and Baptista van Doetichum all with fine contemporary hand-colour in full, 3 full-page engraved text illustrations.

First Latin Edition of Waghenaer's Seacharts