1700 ROBIJN, J. / DANCKERTS, C. - A rare world map in an unusual single polar projection

This rare world map in a cartographical unusual" single polar projection.
The copper plate was first published separately by Jacob Robyn in 1696. Already around 1700, the plates were obtained by the Danckerts family, who published them under Cornelis' name, just omitting Robyn's name.
This magnificent world map on a single polar projection was inspired by Cassini's map of 1650. Based on Jacob Robyn and Hendrick Doncker's four-sheet world map, this edition was also likely devised by Andreas van Luchtenburg, with the surrounding allegorical scenes engraved by Jacob Harrewyn.

This is the second state with Robyn's imprint replaced with that of Cornelis Danckerts. The map is presented in a circular form on the equidistant azimuthal projection created by Le Mayerne Turquet in 1648, in which the latitudes appear as equidistant concentric circles. In North America, only one Great Lake is depicted, and Nieu Nederland appears on the East Coast rather than New York, as it was renamed in 1644.
California is shown as an island with a flat northern coastline. In South America, the two mythical lakes Parime Lacus and Xarayes are depicted. Parts of New Zealand and Tasmania are also shown, and Australia is connected to New Guinea.

Giovanni Domenico Cassini was an Italian-born French astronomer who discovered four of Saturn's moons and the gap in the rings of Saturn now called the Cassini division. Cassini became professor of astronomy at the University of Bologna in 1650 at the age of 25. Cassini disputed the Copernican cosmological model and the idea that light has a finite speed.
During 166467 Cassini determined the rotation periods of Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. In 1669 he departed for France at the invitation of King Louis XIV to construct and run the Paris Observatory. In 1675 he distinguished two zones within what was thought to be the single ring around Saturn. Cassini correctly suggested that the rings were composed of myriads of tiny satellites.

In the 1670s Cassini made many observations of details on the lunar surface. He also took advantage of a good opposition of Mars in 1672 to determine the distance between the Earth and that planet. He arranged for Jean Richer (16301696) to take measurements from his base in Cayenne, on the northeast coast of South America, while Cassini made simultaneous measurements in Paris, which enabled them to triangulate Mars. From the result, Cassini was able to deduce many other astronomical distances. When he went blind about 1710, his son Jacques Cassini succeeded him at the Paris Observatory.

Reference: Shirley, World 582.