Antique Map of Dutch Colonies in the Caribbean and Suriname by Dornseiffen, 1884

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This rare and historically important antique map depicts the Dutch colonial possessions in the Americas, focusing on Suriname and the … Read more This rare and historically important antique map depicts the Dutch colonial possessions in the Americas, focusing on Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean islands including Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, and the Lesser Antilles. Titled “De Nederlandsche Bezittingen in Amerika,” this multi-panel composition was designed by J. Dornseiffen and published in Amsterdam by Seyffardt’s Boekhandel in 1884 as part of the official late-19th-century Dutch colonial atlas series.

The sheet is composed of several coordinated maps. The large central map shows the full extent of the colony of Suriname in detailed riverine and plantation-based geography, with plantation zones, indigenous areas, and river systems carefully engraved. The tall right-hand panel focuses specifically on the Suriname River, illustrating its winding course and strategic importance for transport and trade. It also shows the gold fields areas. The upper panels depict the Dutch Caribbean island groups, including Curaçao with Aruba and Bonaire, and the Lesser Antilles with St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Martin, and surrounding islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Original hand coloring highlights coastlines and colonial boundaries throughout. Historically, these territories formed the backbone of Dutch imperial presence in the Americas. Suriname was a major plantation colony producing sugar, coffee, and cacao through enslaved labor, while the Caribbean islands functioned as key naval, trading, and transshipment hubs within the Atlantic world. By 1884, when Dornseiffen produced this map, slavery had been abolished but the colonial plantation economy and global trade networks remained firmly intact. This map visually documents the mature phase of Dutch overseas empire in the Western Hemisphere. Visually, this is a highly attractive and intellectually rich composition. The structured grid of maps, delicate pastel hand coloring, fine line engraving, and generous sea spaces give the sheet a refined balance between scientific authority and decorative elegance. It works beautifully as a standalone statement piece or as part of a broader Dutch colonial map collection. This sheet is increasingly sought after by collectors of Suriname history, Caribbean cartography, Atlantic world studies, colonial plantation economies, and Dutch imperial expansion. It also pairs exceptionally well with Dornseiffen’s East Indies series for a complete global presentation of Dutch colonial geography.

Condition report: Good antique condition. Light overall age toning consistent with 19th-century paper. Scattered foxing visible, particularly in the margins and open sea areas. Clear plate impressions present. Full margins preserved. No major tears or losses observed. Technique: Hand-colored lithograph Maker: J. Dornseiffen, Amsterdam, 1884 (published by Seyffardt’s Boekhandel) See less