This large folding map of Cuba is densely engraved with detail, and is based on the work of Don Pascual Madoz and Tomas O'Ryan. The map includes geographical, political, topographical, and navigational information, extending north to include part of the Florida Keys and the Great Bahama Bank. There are numerous insets with bird's-eye plans of various cities and a large inset of the region surrounding Havana. Blocks of text surrounding the map give additional information on the island. This map was published as part of Coello's Atlas de Espana e sus Posesiones de Ultramar (Atlas of Spain and its Overseas Possessions), and issued in its own printed covers bearing the title of the publication.

Francisco Coello de Portugal y Quesada (1822-1898) was a Spanish cartographer and military professional who authored an atlas of Spanish possessions overseas, published in Madrid between 1848 and 1869. The atlas was created as an accompaniment to the Diccionario Geografico Estadistico Historico by Pascual Madoz. Although 65 maps were originally planned, only 45 maps were eventually completed. Each map was issued in folded form with pocket map covers. Coello studied at the Academia de Ingenieros de Guadalajara (Academy of Engineering in Guadalajara) and was assigned as Lieutenant Colonel of the Spanish Corps of Engineers and stationed in Algeria in 1844. Coello founded the Sociedad Geografica de Madrid (Geographical Society of Madrid) in 1876, which later became the Real Sociedad Geografica de Espana (Royal Geographical Society of Spain).

References: Cueto #84.

Condition: B+

A crisp impression with minor offsetting, very light toning along several folds, short splits at the fold intersections, and a 1" tear in an unengraved area of the map at bottom right. The covers show light wear with toning along the spine.