DESCRIPTION: Very interesting and scarce Nicolas de Fer map (1717) of the Gulf Coast of the United States, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America. Pleasing appearance with original outline handcoloring. This 300 year-old copper-plate engraved map is full of local place names, historical notes and observations about native American tribes. For example:
- Near the Mississippi River mouth- "Embouchure du Mississippi decouverte in 1685 par M. de la Salle" and a location "Pointe de Mardi Gras".
- About the fishing skills of American indians near the Georgia Sea Islands: "Isles de Mosquites Peuples plus adroit por peche de tout l' Amerique".
- De Fer locates several native American tribes including "les Natchez", "Village de Apalaches" and "Village de la Mobile".
- Locates La Salle's fort ('Fort de Francois') on Matagorda Bay, Texas ('Baye de St. Louis et de St. Bernard').
De Fer's seminal map of the Caribbean "Le Golfe de Mexique..." is a fine adaptation of Guillaume Delisle's 1701 "Carte des environs du Missisipi". The map shows a well-formed Mississippi Delta and Gulf Coast and locates La Salle's fort ('Fort de Francois') on Matagorda Bay, Texas ('Baye de St. Louis et de St. Bernard').
De Fer's "Le Golfe de Mexique" displays Florida correctly as a peninsula rather than as an archipelago, as first depicted by Thomas Nairne in 1711. The 300 year old map is based upon information obtained from the War of Spanish Succession and other contemporary sources. The map is considerably rarer than De L'Isle's contemporary map and more focused on the Caribbean and Gulf Coast regions.
PUBLICATION DATE: 1717
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States
BODY OF WATER: Gulf of Mexico
CONDITION: Good.
A solid map of good paper. No foxing. On solid chain-laid paper with a repaired small tear at bottom margin. Light surface dirt. Small stain at top centerfold near the title.
COLORING: Original outline handcoloring.
ENGRAVER: Peter Starckman
SIZE: 23
" x
18 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 51
PRICE: $1950
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