Subject: Colonial Southeast
Period: 1613 (published)
Publication: Gerardi Mercatoris Atlas sive Cosmographicae
Color: Hand Color
Size:
19 x 13.3 inches
48.3 x 33.8 cm
Superb map compiled from John White's Virginia and Jacques le Moyne's Florida as interpreted by Theodore de Bry. Largely due to the enormous success of this atlas, Le Moyne's erroneous depiction of a large inland lake from which the R. de May (St. John's River) flows in a southeasterly direction is popularized. Chesapeake Bay, here called Chesepioock Sinus, and the area south towards C.S. Romano Hispanis are shown in their White delineations. The Indian villages of Paquiwok, Croatoan, and Wococon are named in the Outer Banks and several others along the present-day Albemarle and Pamlico sounds. The map is extensively decorated with depictions of Indian villages incorporated in the title cartouche, a Floridian king and queen and Virginian natives in a canoe taken from De Bry, wildlife including a wild turkey, ships, sea monsters and a superb compass rose. French text on verso.
References: Burden #151; Cumming #26.
Condition: B
Superb original color with some oxidation resulting is cracking along colored lines. This has been professionally reinforced with Japanese tissue on verso only along the affected areas and leaving two tiny areas of paper loss. Pleasant overall toning.