"Guaiana", Duval/Beer

Pierre Duval was Nicolas Sanson's nephew and pupil. He published a wide range of atlases and individual maps including a fine miniature world geography with many of the maps based on Sanson. This map is from the German edition of Duval's world geography. The maps were probably engraved by Sigismund G. Hipschman (as his signature appears on the title page and the world map) and have Latin titles rather than the original French. The maps are often attributed to Johann C. Beer, who translated the work into German.

The most prominent feature of this charming little map is the gigantic Lac Parime alias Roponouvini, the legendary lake said to lie at the base of a mountain of gold. The fabled city of Manoa, or the golden city of the Incas, is located on its northwestern shore. A recent discovery may have uncovered geological evidence of the existence of a large lake at the foothills of the rich gold producing mountains in the State of Roraima in northern Brazil. That lake is thought to have dried up approximately 700 years ago, and thus may have resulted in the legend. The name of Bocca del Dragon at the mouth of the Orinoco River was given to that inlet by Columbus during his explorations.

References: Map Forum #2, pp. 64-65.

Condition: A

A nice impression with folds as issued. The margins have a little foxing.