Bonne, Rigobert “Carte de la Partie Nord, des Etats Unis, de l’Amérique Septentrionale.”

Rigobert Bonne.  “Carte de la Partie Nord, des Etats Unis, de l’Amérique Septentrionale.” From Bonne’s Atlas de toutes les parties connues du Globe Terrestre.  

Paris, 1780. 8 3/8 x 12 1/2.  Engraving.  Very good condition. 

Rigobert Bonne was the Royal Hydrographer of France, so his primary interest was in marine charts.  However, with his Royal connections and access to the cartographic documents in Paris, Bonne was able to compile maps containing some of the most up-to-date information of his time.  This map is of the region running from the southern part of Maine (here shown as part of “Machasuzet Bay”) to the Chesapeake Bay, and extending to the “Montagnes D’Allagany.”  It was issued just at the end of the American Revolution, and indeed this is one of the earliest maps to name the United States (“Etats Unis”), not surprising for a French map.  The northeastern region was fairly well settled by the Revolution, and Bonne had good information to show towns, rivers, forts and other features in the area.  The detail is clearly presented, and fascinating to study.  This is a fine map of the American northeast from the very beginning of our country’s history.