"Guadaloupe One of the Caribbee Islands Subject to France in the West Indies, from the Best Authorities", Jefferys, Thomas

Thomas Jefferys was one of the most important English map publishers of the 18th century. His work included prints and maps of locations around the world, but his most notable maps are of North America and the West Indies. He began his career in the map trade in the early 1730s, working as an engraver for a variety of London publishers, and eventually setting up his own shop. In 1746, he was appointed Geographer to the Prince of Wales, and in 1760 he became Geographer to the King. These titles granted access to manuscripts and cartographic information held by the government. In the early 1760s he embarked on an ambitious project to produce a series of English county maps based on new surveys, but ran out of money and filed for bankruptcy in 1766. He then partnered with London publisher Robert Sayer, who reissued many of Jefferys plates and continued to issue new editions after Jefferys' death in 1771. Jefferys' American Atlas and the accompanying West-India Atlas, published post posthumously, are considered his most important cartographic works.

This uncommon map focuses on the various parishes on Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. There is detail of the towns and rivers with rudimentary knowledge of the topography. La Grande Soufrière volcano in southern Basse-Terre is shown with flames and smoke. Embellished with a lovely rococo cartouche.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) T.JEF-1a.

Condition: B+

Contemporary color in the map with later color in the cartouche and light soiling that is more pronounced at top right. There are archival repairs to centerfold separations at top and bottom and to 4 short tears in the blank margins, one of which just passes the neatline at top right.