This uncommon map is drawn primarily from Isaak Brouckner's rare map of the world. One important and fascinating difference is the large Sea of the West and an extravagant collection of Northwest Passage theories in North America. This map shows one possible inland passage from Baffin Bay to exit at roughly Alaska, and another from the St. Lawrence through the Great Lakes and out via the massive, uncharacteristic Mer ou Baie de l'Ouest. These features are based on the infamous expedition by Admiral Bartholomew de Fonte. In 1708, a newly discovered account of the Spanish Admiral's 1640 discovery of the passage was published. That account was actually a journalistic hoax, but thereafter the account was changed and elaborated upon by numerous mapmakers. The large fictional lakes from De Fonte's account include Velasco, de Fonte, and the strange archipelago of St. Lazare. In the North Pacific, the routes of the Russian expeditions and the Manila/Acapulco galleons are charted. In the South Pacific, there is another deviation from the Brouckner map; the partial coastlines of Australia and New Guinea are connected, and both New Zealand and Tasmania are shown as single coastlines. This map was published by F.B. Merande from Avignon and is very similar to an Italian map by Remondini.

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Condition: A

Beautiful impression on fine paper. The map is fine less a small hole in upper blank corner well repaired on verso with paper.