"Mappe-Monde Dressee sur les Observations de Mrs. de l'Academie Royale des Sciences...", Delisle, Guillaume

This is an early edition of this large, double-hemisphere map and illustrates this famous French cartographer's crisp, elegant style. The title cartouche is centered on the French royal coat of arms and allegorical female representations of the four continents. Another cartouche contains Delisle's imprint with his address at Quai de l'Horloge, where Delisle moved in 1707. The map is up-to-date for the period with the most recent exploration routes noted, including those of Tasman and Dampier. In keeping with Delisle's desire for accuracy, the Pacific Northwest coast of North America is left blank above C. Mendocin, there is no evidence of Antarctica, and only a partial coastline of New Zealand is depicted. Delisle used accounts from French explorers and colonizers of the Gulf of Mexico region. He also had access to accounts from survivors of La Salle’s expedition in the late 1680's. Despite his efforts to produce highly accurate maps, this map shows New Guinea connected to Australia, and it appears that Japan is connected to the mainland (Terre de Yeco) to the north. In addition, Terre de la Compagnie appears to the northeast of Japan with a partial outline continuing in the western hemisphere accompanied by a note regarding its discovery by Dom Jean de Gama. The tracks of major explorers and their discoveries are charted in the oceans.

References: Shirley #603.

Condition: B+

Original outline and wash color in the map, with later color in the cartouches on paper with a large "TD" watermark. There are some extraneous creases along the centerfold, light soiling, and toning along the edges of the sheet. There are cardinal and roman numerals written in very old manuscript ink along the equator and top border of the eastern hemisphere.