Glorious example of Mercator's map of Asia, here from an early edition of the Mercator Hondius atlas. 

The source of this map is Gerhard Mercator's paradigm world map of 1569 which introduced the "Mercator Projection" still in use today and revolutionised navigation. Mercator Sr.'s grandson, also named Gerhard Mercator, engraved this atlas version of the Asian section of the world map in preparation for Mercator's long delayed folio atlas finally issued in 1595. After the death of Gerhard Jr., the copper plates were purchased by another famous Dutch map maker, Jodocus  Hondius, who re-issued the 1595 atlas with additions of his own in 1606. This now became known as the Mercator Hondius atlas, which is the source of this particular example. 

The map is beautifully archaic, containing several great geographical myths. These include the mythical Kingdom of Quivira, situated in part of North America, the mythical Straits of Anian, named by Marco Polo, separating North America and Asia and the famous Rupes Nigra or Mountain of Iron, a gigantic mountain of iron which served to explain the existence of the Magnetic Pole. Here it is shown and named as the Polus Magnetis, northeast of the Oceanus Scythicus or Scythian Sea. 

Several of these myths persisted for centuries after the publication of both the world and this map. 

Original colour. French text on reverse. Image available on request. [AS1277]