Antique Map of Durham, Pieter Van Den Keere, Miniature Speed

A beautiful ‘miniature Speed’ hand coloured copper engraving by Pieter Van den Keere (Flemish, 1571 - 1646), map of the Bishoprick of Durham. The map is very nicely framed and has a document providing more information attached to the rear.

Here is the information included on the rear of the map:

“Pieter Van Den Keere / Petrus Kaerius 1571 - c.1646

Pieter Van Den Keere was one of a number of refugees who fled from religious persecution in the Low Countries between the years 1570 and 1590. He moved to London in 1584with his sister, who married Jodocus Hondius, also a refugee there, and through Hondius he undoubtedly learned his skills as an engraver and cartographer. in the course of a long working life he engraved a large number of individual maps for prominent cartographers of the day but he also produced an atlas of the Netherlands (1617 - 1622) and county maps of the British Isles which have become known as ‘Miniature Speeds’, a misnomer which requires explanation.

In about 1599 he engraved plates for 44 maps of the English and Welsh counties, the regions of Scotland and the Irish provinces. The English maps were based on Saxon, the Scottish on Ortelius and the Irish on the famous map by Boazio. These maps were not published at once in book form but there is evidence which suggests a date of issue (in Amsterdam) between 1605 and 1610, although one authority believes they existed only in proof form until 1617 when Wilhelm Blaeu issued them with a Latin edition of Camden’s Britannia. At this stage, two maps were added, one of the British Isles and the other of Yorkshire, the latter derived from Saxon.

Some time later the plates were acquired by Speed’s publishers, George Humble, who in 1627, the year in which he published a major edition of Speed’s Atlas, also issued the Keere maps as a pocket edition. For these he used the descriptive texts of the larger Speed maps and thereafter they were known as Miniature Speeds.”

Condition: Very good condition.

Dimensions:

Including the frame, 37.5cm wide by 34.8cm tall. The map itself measures approximately 13cm by 9.1cm

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This is an antique item and as such may have signs of wear in accordance with its age. Anything that we think is of note will have been mentioned above, but please study the photos carefully to satisfy yourself as to its condition as it is not possible to list every little mark or flaw. We are happy to provide high resolution photographs or videos if required, and answer any questions you may have - just get in touch! We accept returns for all items providing the item is returned in the same condition as when it was sent. The cost of any return postage or delivery is the responsibility of the buyer, unless the item has arrived damaged or has not been described accurately.