Rare Boisseau Edition of Hondius' Famous Map of the Americas

"America Noviter Delineata", Boisseau, Jean

This beautiful and popular map of the Americas was emulated by numerous cartographers and went through various editions. Originally issued by Jodocus Hondius II in 1618 with carte-a-figures borders, it was derived from two earlier maps by Blaeu. North America retains the peninsular California and the East Coast is beginning to take shape, although it still lacks detail in the mid-Atlantic region. In the Southwest, the famous seven cities of Cibola appear on the banks of a large lake. In South America, there are two mythical lakes (Parime Lacus and Eupana Lacus) and two engraved scenes - one detailing a cannibalistic feast. Two stylized insets of the polar regions are enclosed in strapwork cartouches; the North Pole depicts Frobisher's theory of the Northwest Passage and the South Pole shows the long-held notion of the mythical southern continent. The map is richly ornamented with a strapwork title cartouche, fleets of ships and sea monsters. Engraved by Hughes Picart, this edition is practically indistinguishable from the original Hondius edition with the exception of the omission of the sea monster to the left of the title cartouche, the misspelling of Mendocino as Mendoeino, and the engraver's imprint below the title cartouche. This map is quite rare and was issued both separately and in Boisseau's Theatre des Gaules.

References: Burden #249.

Condition: B

There are a few faint spots, some minute worm holes only visible when held to light, and light creasing along the centerfold at bottom. There is a 1/2" tear across centerfold towards the bottom of the image, and a small printer's crease at left. There is show-through of manuscript ink on verso with remnants of hinge tape on verso.