Nouvelles decouvertes au nord de la Mer du Sud. North Pacific.DE L’ISLE 1750 map. This landmark map in the history of cartography shows "new discoveries" in the North Pacific Ocean by explorers seeking among other objectives a north west passage and a north east passage, with a number of famous cartographic errors. The map shows the tracks of explorers Spandberg (who found a sea route to Japan), Tchirikow/Chirikov in the course of discovering the Aleutian Islands and Alaska, de Frondat's 1709 crossing from China to California, and the route of the Manila Galleons. Notably, the map shows a non-existent great inland sea, marked on this map as "Mer ou Baye de lOuest" (Sea or Bay of the West), occupying a vast part of the American/Canadian west and opening into the Pacific Ocean. It commonly appeared on maps between c1740-1790, reaching its fullest expression on this map. The opening into the Pacific, at around 48°N - the actual location of the Juan de Fuca strait - is marked on the map as the discovery of the Greek explorer Juan de Fuca in 1592. It is likely that the Sea of the West is in fact a gross misconception of the size and shape of the Strait of Georgia, the excessive size shown on the map based on de Fuca's report that he had spent 20 days sailing it and his failure to observe that the adjacent Vancouver Island was in fact an island. The map also includes an extensive interpretation of the "discoveries" made by the almost certainly fictitious Admiral Fonte along the Pacific North West Coast of North America to Alaska. A letter documenting his supposed voyage was probably invented, written and published by a London magazine editor, but the observations contained therein found strong support from proponents of a north west passage route from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The map further shows the southern coastline of a supposed landmass east of Kamchatka discovered by Joseph-Nicolas Delisle and Aleksie Chirikov during the Great Northern Expedition in 1741 - in fact the Aleutian islands. The map shows North America divided between Spain, Great Britain and France (the French possessions themselves are divided between Nouvelle France/New France to the north and Louisiane/Louisiana to the south).

Date Printed: 1750 (This date is printed on the map)

Image Size: Approx 50.0 x 67.5cm, 19.75 x 26.5 inches (Large); Please note that this is a folding map.

Type: Large antique 18th century atlas map, printed on thick, good quality paper with original outline hand colour/color, decorative title cartouche and vignettes of a native American and of a Kamchatkan native Koryak

Condition: Very Good; suitable for framing

Verso: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

Folding: This is a folding map.

Artist/Cartographer/Engraver: Guillaume de l'Isle

Provenance: The map was extracted from a composite atlas of early 18th century maps, the latest of which was dated c1754

Please note that this lot has a confidential reserve. When you leave a bid in advance of the auction, submit your maximum. Jasper52 will bid on your behalf as much as necessary to ensure that you meet the reserve price or that you remain in the lead, up to your maximum. The bidder who has submitted the highest bid wins the lot, provided the bid exceeds the reserve price.

Shipping:

Domestic: Flat-rate of $24.00 to anywhere within the contiguous U.S.

International: Foreign shipping rates are determined by destination.

Location: This item ships from United Kingdom

Authenticity:
Photos, descriptions, and estimates were prepared with the utmost care by a fully certified expert and appraiser. All items in this sale are guaranteed authentic. Please contact us if there is a misrepresentation so that the item can be returned.

Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that your purchase from this auction does not meet your expectations, Jasper52 specialists are here to help. If the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, U.S. buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Jasper52 within 5 days of receiving the item.

Very Good; suitable for framing