CAPETOWN CAP DE BONNE ESPERANCE
£285
This map contains a well known view of the Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain from the sea. The sheet also contains a map of Table Bay & Robin Island on the bottom left and a map of the Dutch Fort at Cape Town on the bottom right. The view of the Cape of Good Hope labels each mountain peak and contains a legend to identify important points in the town. Dutch flags fly atop one mountain and at the Fort. Ships sailing between Europe and the East Indies are in the harbor. This map comes from de Fer's Atlas Curieux (Norwich). Tooley calls de Fer "a geographer, engraver, and published of considerable creative ability". Very good condition. Reference: Norwich map #211. Tooley, Map Collector's Guide to Africa, p. 45.code : M2027
Cartographer : DE FER Nicolas
Date : 1705 Paris
Size : 25.5*36cms
availability : Available
Price : £285
Nicolas de Fer (1646-1720) was the son of Antoine de Fer, also a map engraver and colourist in his own right who had worked with Nicolas Berey and acted as an editor for Pierre Duval's "Cartes De Geographie ..." of 1657. However, it was Nicolas who was to become one of the most prolific publishers of his time.
De Fer was able to make the publishing business flourish and in 1690 he was nominated as geographer to the Dauphin - their relationship had reciprocal benefits with De Fer producing, in effect, royal propaganda concerning the Dauphin's lands with each publication enhancing his own name and reputation, as well as that of the Dauphin. When the Duke of Anjou ascended the throne in 1702, De Fer had the dual title of "geographe du roi d'Espagne et du Dauphin".
De Fer published a number of atlases including the "Cotes de France" of 1690 (containing Tassin's maps) and the "Forces de l'Europe ou Introduction a la fortification", also of 1690, that reinforced his abilities and success with the buying public. Subsequent publications included the "Petit et Nouveau Atlas", which appeared in 1697, followed by the "Atlas Curieux". The "Atlas Curieux" was well-known and popular, being expanded in successive editions between 1700 and 1705, and was re-edited in 1714 and 1716 under the title "Suite de l'Atlas Curieux". De Fer also produced a number of folio maps that appeared in the "Atlas ou Recueil de cartes", which was published in 1709.
