Our optional Teak Wood Magnetic Hanger makes this a perfect, one-stop solution for a complete gift or an expertly-made piece of wall art for your home or office! An archival, museum-grade reproduction of an extremely important and influential 1658 map of the Americas by Nicholas Janzoon Visscher. Covers all of the New World, the eastern extensions of Europe and Africa, and some Pacific Islands. This map proved extremely influential and, due to multiple pirated examples and reissues by competing Dutch map publishers, became the dominant representation of America well into the early 18th century. That said, the first edition is notably different from its successors on a number of points that firmly establish its preeminence as a cartographic milestone. By far this map's most interesting cartographic elements deal with its unusual treatment of North America, with California represented as an island, the Great Lakes rendered as a single body of water open to the west, and Anian appearing far to the north. The popularity of this map among prominent Dutch map publishers and cartographers of the late 17th century played a significant role in promoting the "California as an Island" hypothesis. The concept of an insular California first appeared as a work of fiction in Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo's c. 1510 romance Las Sergas de Esplandian , where he writes Know, that on the right hand of the Indies there is an island called California very close to the side of the Terrestrial Paradise; and it is peopled by black women, without any man among them, for they live in the manner of Amazons. Baja California was subsequently discovered in 1533 by Fortun Ximenez, who had been sent to the area by Hernan Cortez. When Cortez himself traveled to Baja, he must have had Montalvo's novel in mind, for he immediately claimed the Island of California for the Spanish King. A masterfully printed, museum-grade reproduction of an historical work. We using the finest available professional photo printer with archival inks and heavy, museum-grade, matte acid-free paper. Fits in a standard, widely available frame size or ready to simply tack onto a wall. Historic maps are expertly restored, eliminating distracting imperfections while preserving the minor flaws and marks that give these old charts character, while photographs and drawings are gently retouched and enhanced to look their best. Shipped within one business day of your order, rolled in a rigid mailing tube. Your satisfaction with your print is unconditionally guaranteed. Custom sizes available up to 24"X36". All custom size prints $48.00.