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Francois Santini after Joseph Nicolas Delisle. "Carte des Nouvelles Decouvertes au Nord de la Mer du Sud." Venice: G.A.. Remondini, [1776-1784]. 17 1/2 x 24 1/2. Engraving. Original outline color. Some minor blemishes in margins. Overall, very good condition. Tooley: 104.
An Italian edition of Joseph Nicolas Delisle's important map of the north Pacific. Delisle spent many years working as a cartographer in Russia, founding the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg and producing the first Russian Atlas. In 1747, Delisle returned to France with a manuscript map of the north Pacific, including information on northeastern Asia, northwestern America and the strait between the two. He produced an engraved map, which was presented to the French Academy of Sciences in 1750. This map was very advanced in some areas, being based on Russian expeditions of 1723, 1732 and 1741, along with Vitus Bering's first and second voyages and the explorations of a number of others such as Tchirkow and Frondat. Unfortunately, the cartography of northwestern America is based on the fictitious account of Admiral de Fonte, showing a huge inland sea, the "Mer de L'Ouest," and waterways leading off towards Baffin's Bay-the long sought for Northwest Passage. Delisle's rendering became the standard for the region until Cook's explorations later in the century. Delisle's map was copied by many publishers, including the Italian Santini, whose map was later issued by Remondini. The Italian versions have a handsome rococo title cartouche balanced by text and images of a native of Kamchatka and one of Louisiana. $1,500
Francois Santini after Gerard Muller. "Nouvelle Carte des Decouvertes faites par des Vaisseaux Russiens Aux Cótes Inconnues de l'Amerique Septentrionale Avec Les Pars Adjacents…A St. Petersbourgh a l'Academie Imperiale des Sciences 1784." Venice: G.A.. Remondini, 1784. 19 3/8 x 25 1/2. Engraving. Early outline color. Narrow margins. Very good condition.
An example of the official Russian response to Delisle's map of the northern Pacific (cf. above). The Russian authorities felt that Delisle had stolen the information for his map and they were aware of his incorrect delineation in northwestern America. Thus they encouraged Gerard Muller, a German cartographer working in St. Petersburg, to issue a map to correct Delisle's mistakes, as the official mapping from the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg. Muller's map was first issued in 1758, reissued in 1773, and again in 1784. The later editions were updated, especially to show the discoveries of a number of Russian explorations, beginning in 1764, which produced new information on the Aleutian Islands and the western coast of Alaska. The first issue of Muller's map showed a dotted line suggesting the coast of America extending well to the west. The Russian explorations of the 1760s showed that the coastline was further to the east, and this map delineates that configuration, much closer to reality. At the same time, one of the Russian explorers, Ivan Synd or Syndo, in his account of his voyage introduced a number of fictitious islands in the middle of Bering's Strait, and those non-existent islands are clearly depicted on this map. And while Muller rid the map of Delisle's mythical "Mer de l'Quest," he does continue to show one mistaken version of the hoped for Northwest Passage, with the "R. de l'Quest" connecting the northern California coast ultimately to Hudson's Bay. A combination of improved accuracy and retained error, this is a fascinating map in the long history of the discovery and exploration of one of the last frontiers. $1,400
Lewis Evans. "A New and General Map of the Middle Dominions Belonging to the United States of America" London: Laurie & Whittle, 1794. 19 x 26. Engraving. Original outline hand color. Some minor chipping and tears in margins. Very good condition.
Lewis Evans was perhaps the greatest eighteenth century American cartographer. In 1755, Evans published his important map of the middle colonies, one of the first to show accurate information in the trans-Appalachian region, the territory fought over during the French and Indian Wars. These depictions were based by Evans on his own surveys and on first hand reports of explorations by Gist and Walker. It was this map that first noted oil in Pennsylvania and coal in Ohio, as well as denoting important passages through the Appalachians. For the area of Illinois and Michigan, Evans used such sources as Indian scouts, traders, and other information previously unavailable. This map indicates Indian settlements along with the ancient and current seats of the Indian tribes. The map provided the first accurate details of the tributaries of the Ohio river, including the degree in which they were passable. Based on reliable, first hand information and compiled with great care, the map appeared in numerous editions to as late as 1816; this issue of 1794 was one of the more popular eighteenth century editions. Evans' map opened the way to the west and is thus a very important document of American settlement and expansion. $2,750
John Russell. "Map of the Middle States, of America. Comprends New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the Territory N:W: of Ohio." From William Winterbotham's View of the United States. London: H.D. Symonds, 1794. 14 1/4 x 18. Engraving. Very good condition. With inset of Long Island.
An interesting map of the region of the United States extending from New Jersey to Indiana, and from northern New York to Maryland. This was issued in Winterbotham's early account of the United States. Detail in the east is copious, with rivers, towns, lakes, and so forth. Information is especially interesting for the western parts, with a considerable number of rivers shown, and springs, portages, salt licks, Indian settlements, and forts indicated. Also depicted is the early development in the old 'Northwest Territory,' including the Seven Ranges, the Army lands, the Ohio Company, and the Donation Lands from Virginia. A detailed and fascinating picture of this section of the country near the turn of the century. JT ON APPROVAL
De la Rochette after Henry Roberts. "Chart of the N.W. Coast of America and the N.E. Coast of Asia, Explored in the Years 1778 and 1779." London: William Faden, Jan. 1, 1794. Second edition. 15 1/2 x 26 5/8. Engraving by W. Palmer. Original outline color. Very good condition. Wagner: 830.
A finely detailed British map showing the information gathered on explorations in the northern Pacific Ocean, the northeast parts of Asia, and the northwest parts of North America between the years 1778 and 1793. Henry Roberts was an officer on James Cook's third voyage and his charts, drawn from information gathered under Cook's supervision, provided the first accurate mapping of the northwest coast of North America, dispelling many of the fanciful and fantastic theories that had swirled about the region for years. The basis for this map was Robert's chart issued in 1784. A decade later, Faden had Louis De la Rochette update Roberts' chart with information gathered in the intervening years. As a note on the map says, "The Interesting Discoveries made by British and American Ships, since the first Publication of this Chart in 1784, Together with the Hydrographical Materials, lately procured from St. Petersburg and other places, have enabled Mr. De la Rochette to lay down the Numerous Improvements which appear in the Present Edition." Amongst the explorers taken note of were La Perouse (1785-8), Vancouver (1791-2), and Mackenzie (1789-93). $1,400
Benjamin Tanner. "a Map of the Tennassee Government formerly Part of North Carolina from the latest Surveys. 1795." From The American Atlas. New York: John Reid, L. Wayland & C. Smith, 1796 Engraving by B. Tanner. 7 x 15 1/8. Light spot in lower left corner. Wheat & Brun: 655.
An important eighteenth-century, American made map of Tennessee. This map was issued in Reid's landmark American Atlas in 1796, which was published to accompany William Winterbotham's An historical, geographical, commercial, and philosophical view of the United States of America. The map, engraved by Benjamin Tanner, is closely copied from Mathew Carey's map of 1794-5, which was the first American published map of the state. The information depicted in the map is excellent, including rivers, white and Indian settlements, and trails crossing the wilderness. A rare and fascinating picture of Tennessee at the end of the eighteenth century. $1,850
Go to page with other maps from Reid's American Atlas
George H.V. Collot. "A General Map of the river Ohio. Plate the first." From Voyages dans l'Amerique Septentrionale. Paris, 1826. 11 1/2 x 18 3/4. Engraving by Antoine Francois Tardieu. Very good condition.
An important and rare map of the upper Ohio River, from Pittsburgh to just west of Wheeling, drawn in 1796. The map was issued in General Georges Collot's, A Voyages dans l'Amerique Septentrionale, which reported on his expedition through the interior of North America. This was taken at the instigation of the French Minister to the United States, Pierre Augustus Adet, who asked Collot to create "a minute detail of the political, commercial, and military state of the Western part" of the country. Adet was in general interested in the situation in America, but he supposedly also had plans to attack the Spanish in their possessions of Louisiana and Florida so Collot's survey was of military interest to the French as well. Collot traveled along the waterways leading from the Great Lakes to the mouth of the Mississippi, mapping and making drawings of the sites he passed. Collot's survey was the most detailed and accurate of the western interior of North America at that time, but because of political considerations Collot's account and plates, which were printed in 1805, were not issued until two decades later. Issued in 1826, the journal-issued simultaneously in French and English editions-included an atlas of 36 maps and views. Interestingly, it is recorded that all but 100 of the English and 300 of the French volumes were deliberately destroyed just after the publication. Thus these important plates are extremely scarce, making them amongst the most sought after images of America. This map shows the upper Ohio River, which when it was drawn was the main gateway to the American frontier. The frontier settlements of Pittsburgh, Mingo Town, Buffalo Town, and Wheeling, all clearly depicted on the map, as are the many farms and smaller settlements along the river. Also note is the trail from Pittsburgh to the river at Mingo Town. Though published in 1826, this map has its roots and history in the eighteenth century. It is the best picture of this important highway to the interior at this crucial time in the development of the trans-Appalachian west. $3,600
Go to Collot map of Pittsburgh
Maps from From Isaac Weld, Jr. Travels through the states of North America...during 1795, 1796 and 1797. London: John Stockdale, 1798-99. Engravings. Ca. 6 3/4 x 9. With folds as issued. With some slight transferring, but very good condition.
A series of fine engraved maps of parts of North America from Weld's account of his travels through the continent in the last decade of the 18th century.
Of particular interest is the depiction of frontier forts including Forts George, Chambly, Niagara, and one located at the end of Green Bay. $225
So impressed was Weld with Niagara Falls that he had an entire chapter devoted to is and included three views and this map. An inset of the entire Niagara peninsula is included in the upper left corner. $110
Return to page one of 18th century American regional maps
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