"Culiacanae, Americae Regionis Descriptio [on sheet with] Hispanoliae, Cubae, Aliarumque Insularum Circumiacientium, Delineato", Ortelius, Abraham

Two great early maps of important regions in the New World are combined into this interesting composition. The first covers the region of western Mexico around Culiacan and the Spanish settlement of Villa S. Michael's, the region noted for its silver mines. The second is the first detailed map of the Antilles with detail in southern Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean that is quite remarkable for the period. Ortelius based the maps on a variety of sources including Mercator’s world map (1569) and other maps by Gutters and Alonso de Santa Cruz. This is the first state that includes an interesting error; the Tropic of Capricorn is shown where the Tropic of Cancer should be. Three strapwork cartouches and sailing ships decorate the map. This is from the rare English edition with a description of the regions on verso.

References: Van den Broecke #14.

Condition: C

A 5" tear from top margin into map on left has been closed with archival tape. There are two 2" tears along the centerfold at top and bottom that are not repaired and there is toning along the fold. The paper is sound and the map would benefit from professional conservation.