Subject: Colonial New England & Mid-Atlantic United States
Period: 1674 (circa)
Publication:
Color: Hand Color
Size:
21.3 x 18.4 inches
54.1 x 46.7 cm
This scarce map commemorates the Dutch re-capture of New Amsterdam in August 1673, which is illustrated in the large inset. This inset, known as the Restitutio View, replaced the original view (based on Visscher) in the second state of Allard's map. It depicts the town as seen directly from the east. On the right is a wall that eventually became Wall Street with its guardhouse and gate. Adjacent to the wall are new settlements and the Collect Pond. Along the quay are three roundouts fortified with canons and at center is a canal that is shown here for the first time. The Dutch army is depicted marching along the quay, a canon is firing from the fort, and the allegorical figure above holds a laurel wreath signifying victory.
The map itself is from the influential Jansson-Visscher series, which formed the basis for the mapping of the Atlantic seaboard and New England for nearly one hundred years. The cartography follows Visscher's modifications and includes much new information that reflects the Anglicization that had occurred during the period of English rule (1664-1673). Lacus Irocoisiensis (Lake Champlain) remains radically misplaced to the east of the Connecticut River, the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River are intertwined, and the coast of New England is still imperfectly mapped. Several of the new English place names appear, including Nieu Jarsey, Gamoenipa (Communipaw), Bergen, Nova Albania (Albany), Milfort, and Iamaica and Iorck-shire (Yorkshire) on Long Island. The Dutch fleet, commanded by Cornelius Evertsen, is shown off Long Island.
This map is known in 7 states, of which this is the exceedingly rare second state, which Burden notes is only known in two other examples. This second state was published prior to Hugo Allard's imprint added at bottom right. All states are very scarce.
References: Burden #373, state 2; Tooley (Amer) #17, pp. 287-89; Augustyn & Cohen pp. 46-47.
Condition: B
A dark, early impression with full contemporary color, light soiling, and dampstains entering the image at bottom. The bottom margin has been trimmed and there are archival repairs to a centerfold separation and a 1" tear at bottom and to small chips in the corners of the sheet. There is evidence of some old adhesive along the top and bottom edges of the sheet on verso, which no longer has any tackiness. There are small remnants of hinge tape on verso.