PBA Galleries

Copper-engraved map, hand-colored. 14.5x16.5 cm (5¾x6½"). Matted: 31.5x32 cm (12x12½").

Uncommon little map with California depicted as an island with an indented northern shore. Published in "Introduction a l'histoire de l'Asie, de l'Afrique et de l'Amerique... par Mr. Bruzen la Martiniere," published by Chatelain in 1735. McLaughlin 91.

All five Great Lakes are shown, but are still misshapen and open to the west. The Mississippi River has numerous tributaries, but barely rises above Spanish Florida with no obvious origin, unlike Sanson's earlier maps that show the river originating in a Canadian Lake named "Lac des Sioux". There are many place names within Nouveau Mexique including Santa Fe and Grenade. The R. de Nort drains into the Gulf of California from a large interior lake in the country of Les Apaches. The British colonies are shown simply as Nouvelle Angleterre and Virginie. Decorative title cartouche in upper left.