"Mappe-Monde ou Carte Generale de la Terre, Dressee sur les Observations de Mrs. de l'Academie Royale des Sciences", Fer, Nicolas de

Fine double hemispheric map that features California as an island. Surrounding the hemispheres are nine medallion portraits of explorers, including La Salle, Tachard, Dampier, Magellan, Drake, Columbus, Vespucci, Marco Polo, and Schouten. The map shows early mapping of North America with the Great Lakes not completely formed. The northeast coast of Asia includes a coastline labeled Roye. de Coree stretching off the map in the direction of North America. Australia and New Zealand are tentatively drawn and named Nouvelle Hollande and Nouv. Zeelande. According to Shirley, this map may have been copied directly from the similar map by Mortier (see Shirley #572), however since the dating on the Mortier map is uncertain, it is possible that Mortier copied de Fer. This is the third edition, dated 1717.

References: Shirley #601; Pastoureau, FER 1D.

Condition: A

A crisp impression on watermarked paper, issued folding and now flattened with minute holes at the fold intersections. There is minor toning along the top edge of the sheet and the binding trim at right has been professionally replaced with an adjacent 1/2" binding tear that has been professionally repaired.