MAP- ORTELIUS, Abraham: Persici sive Sophorum Regni Typus.

Plantin, Antwerp, Ca 1574 or later. Hand coloured, mounted, framed and glazed. (50x35 cm).

Provenance:

Formerly in the collection of Hermann Frederick Eilts (1922–2006), American diplomat and United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1965–1970) and Egypt (1974–1979); thence by descent.

Born in Weißenfels, Germany, Eilts immigrated to the United States as a child and entered the U.S. Foreign Service in 1947. During a diplomatic career spanning 32 years, he served extensively throughout the Middle East, including postings in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, and the United Kingdom. He subsequently served as Deputy Commandant and Diplomatic Adviser at the U.S. Army War College.

As Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Eilts served during the 1967 Arab-Israeli Six-Day War. As Ambassador to Egypt, he played a significant role in Henry Kissinger's Middle East shuttle diplomacy following the 1973 Yom Kippur War and was closely involved in the negotiations surrounding the 1978 Camp David Accord, and survived a Libyan assassination attempt. During his diplomatic career and travels, he collected maps, manuscripts and other works of art relating to the region.