This is a handsome, small map of the Maltese Islands with superb detail of the villages and fortifications. The important fortifications of Valetta, built by the famous Knights of Malta after the Siege of Malta, are depicted with a bird's-eye plan. Engraved by Antoine de Winter. This is the first state, before the graticule was added.

Sanson's small maps from his L'Afrique en Plusieurs Cartes..., first published in 1656 and engraved by A. Peyrounin, were copied several times by various map publishers. Johann David Zunners made copies of Sanson's maps for his German translation of Die Gantze Erd-Kugel in 1679. Johannes Ribbius and Simon de Vries published copies in 1682 and 1683, with new maps engraved by Antoine d'Winter. The plates were later sold to Francois Halma, who used them in 1699 and then again in 1705 with the titles re-engraved in Dutch. The titles on the d'Winter plates were re-engraved back into French, and then used by Nicholas Chemereau in 1715 and by Henri du Sauzet in 1738.

References: Pastoureau, SANSON I F #18.

Condition: A

A dark impression on a bright sheet with a small paper flaw at bottom center and narrow margins, as issued. There is a small chip at top right and an archivally repaired chip at top left.