Sanson

ref. 89167 — Amsterdam Hubert Jaillot Chez Pierre Mortimer et Company. 1692. Copper-engraved map. Engraved surface 34 x 22 inches. Framed with glass and double dark-green and blue mounts. Overall 44 x 33 inches. In very good condition. Stunning large early map of America. Beautifully coloured states and islands with both cartouches and border also coloured. With vertical centre fold/crease. The map lines up in the middle but is slightly offset at top and bottom. A couple of very light minor spots around the main cartouche else map surface is lovely and bright and clean. No offsetting or darkening. A stunning map. With two decorative cartouches with scale. With later hand-colouring. Jaillot's oversized map of North America notable for the large island of California poised off the West Coast first published in 1674. Tooley notes rather critically: “Jaillot who succeeded to Sanson's business makes a rehash of his maps. California is copied from Sanson's map of 1656. The remainder of the map is based on that of 1669. Jaillot retains the 5 lakes with two open at their western ends. He shows New Sweden and New Amsterdam. Curiously he omits Montreal but does insert a few French Missions round the Great Lakes. Large handsome titlepiece with arms of the Dauphin natives and indigenous fauna.” The map was reissued many times and its “long life was to in part to the expense of production for it continued in use long after its geographical information became out of date.” Tooley 37 Plate 44; McLaughlin 55. Amsterdam, Hubert Jaillot, Chez Pierre Mortimer et Company. 1692 unknown