DE L'ISLE, Guillaume (1675-1726) - HOMANN, Johann Baptist (1663-1724) - SEUTTER, George Matthaeus (1678-1757). COMPOSITE WORLD ATLAS. Paris, Nuremberg, and Augsburg: 1700-1747

2 volumes. Folio (21 x 13 inches). Manuscript index leaves at the beginning of each volume. 150 double-page engraved maps, including some folding, with original hand-colour in full, in part and in outline (some separations to folds of the larger maps, volume II with extensive waterstaining, edges occasionally frayed). Contemporary calf (worn).

A unique composite atlas containing 34 maps by De L'Isle issued from his earliest address at the "Rue des Canettes”, and 39 from his subsequent address, and 3 without address. Amongst them are twelve of the most important 18th-century maps of America:

The rare first state of L'Amerique Septentrionale... 1700; the rare first state of L'Amerique Meridional ..., 1700; the rare first edition of Carte du Paraguay du Chili du Detroit de Magellan &c... 1703;  Carte de la Terre Ferme du Perou, du Bresil et du Pays des Amazones..., 1703; Carte du Mexique et de la Floride des Terres Angloises et des Isles Antilles du Cours et des Environs de la Riviere de Mississippi..., 1703 -  "towering landmark along the path of Western cartographic development" (Wheat); Carte du Canada ou de la Nouvelle France et des Decouvertes qui y ont ete faites. 1703; Carte de la Louisiane et du Cours du Mississipi..., Juin, 1718 - one of the most important and influential maps of the 18th Century, the foundation map for all the later maps of the Mississippi and the whole West of the United States -; Americae Mappa generalis..., 1746; Homann's Amplissimae Regionis Mississipi Seu Provinciae Ludoviciana a P.P. Ludovico Hennepin Francise Miss in America Septentrionali Anno 1687...; Regni Mexicani Novae Hispaniae Ludovicianae N. Angliae, Carolina, Virginiae, et Pensylvania necnon Insularum Archpelagi Mexicani in America Septentrionali ... no date;  d'Anville's Mappa Geographica, complectens I. Indiae Occidentalis partem mediam circum Isthmum Panamensem, II. Ipsumq Isthmum, III. Ichnographiam praecipuorum locorum & portuum ad has terras pertinentium..., no date; and Homann's Nova Anglia Septentrionali Americae implantata Anglorumque coloniis florentissima Geographice exhibita. 

Paris: chez l'Auteur Rue des Canettes pres de St. Sulpice

1 - Mappemonde..., 1700. Double-page and folding engraved double-hemisphere world map, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical rococo cartouche above and between the spheres, the imprint in a smaller one below  (edges a little frayed)

9 -  L’Asie..., 1700

11 - Carte de Tartarie..., 1706. Folding

12 - Carte es Indes et de La Chine..., 1705. Folding (separations at folds)

14 - Carte de la Turquie de l'Arabie et de la Perse,... 1701. Folding (edges a little frayed)

19 - L'Afrique..., 1700 (short marginal tear, one or two stains)

20 - In Notitiam Ecclesiasticcam Africae..., 1700. Folding

25 - L'Amerique Septentrionale... 1700. A fine engraved map of North and Central America with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical asymmetrical rococo cartouche upper right, the scale and Avertissement within another rococo cartouche upper left. 

The rare first state of De L'Isle's map of North America, the title cartouche with the cartographer's title given as "Geographe" and his address as "Rue des Canettes". This is the first map to go back to showing California as a peninsula, after a long period of it being shown on maps as an island. The 'new' cartography was based on the reports rof Fra. Eusebio Kino, and is De L'Isle's earliest map of America, remaining one of the most influential maps of North America for many years.

Schwartz & Taliaferro in an article in the Map Collector (Issue 26, pp. 2-6, March 1984) described an example of this map in Austria, in an earlier state in which the mouth of the Mississippi River is shown in Texas, rather than as on the present copy in Louisiana slightly west of longitude 280º. However, that stater state is known in only a very few examples.Tooley referred to this map as "a foundation map...and the first to revert to a peninsular form of California" (Tooley, "French Mapping of the Americas" in The Mapping of America, p. 19). 

27 - L'Amerique Meridional ..., 1700. A fine engraved map of South America with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical rococo cartouche above the scale lower left.

The rare first state of De L'Isle's map of South America, with his address given as "Rue des Canettes". With the tip of South America pointing to the west.

28 - Carte du Paraguay du Chili du Detroit de Magellan &c... 1703. A fine engraved folding map of southern South America, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical rococo cartouche lower left.

Rare first edition De L'Isle's map of the Southern part of South America.

The rare first issue of De L'Isle's map giving his address as "Rue des Canettes" which he used until mid-1703 and so most examples of this map are found with his later address of "le Quai / Quay de l'Horloge".

The map shows the routes Amerigo Vespucci (1502), Ferdinand Magellan (1520), Pedro Sarmiento (1589), Brower (1642-43), Sir Edmund Halley (1698-1700), Anthony de la Roche (1675), and Bartholemew Sharp (1681).

29 - Carte de la Terre Ferme du Perou, du Bresil et du Pays des Amazones..., 1703. A fine engraved folding map of northern South America, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical rococo cartouche upper right.

The rare first issue of De L'Isles map giving his address as "Rue des Canettes", and showing Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Guiana and parts of Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay and Argentina.

30 - Carte du Mexique et de la Floride des Terres Angloises et des Isles Antilles du Cours et des Environs de la Riviere de Mississippi..., 1703. A fine folding engraved map of southern North America and Central America and the Caribbean, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within an elaborate allegorical rococo cartouche lower left.

A "towering landmark along the path of Western cartographic development" (Wheat).

The rare first issue of De L'Isles map giving his address as "Rue des Canettes", and one of the most influential maps of the region of the 18th-century. Based on reports brought back to France from the survivor's of the La Salle expedition into the interior of North America, and from information derived from the explorations of Bienville and d'Iberville. The cartography of the Great Lakes region, of the English settlements along the East Coast, and the location of Indian tribes and trails of the Southwest is extremely accurate. The location of the Indian villages in East Texas is shown in great detail, based upon the reports of Iberville and the Spanish missionaries. 

36 - Carte du Canada ou de la Nouvelle France et des Decouvertes qui y ont ete faites. 1703. A fine folding engraved map of eastern Canada, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within a magnificent allegorical rococo cartouche upper left. 

The very rare first edition of De L'Isle's celebrated map of Canada, the Great Lakes and the Upper Midwest of North America, giving his address as "Rue des Canettes". "One of the most outstanding maps of Canada of the 17th and early 18th Centuries . . . De L'Isle's careful research resulted in the first map of Canada to present the whole of the Great Lakes correctly.  In addition, the position of the lakes relative to Hudson's Bay is also correct, and the Avalon Peninsula is shown much more realistically than on previous maps of Canada.  Of considerable significance, the geography of the coastal regions of James and Hudson Bays, together with their major rivers systems, is presented by De L'Isle with a surprising degree of accuracy" (Kershaw).

De L'Isle's map is also the first to show the Rocky mountain chain to the southwest, and the "Riviere Longue" based on the reports of  Baron de Lahontan, a note refers to a large body of salt water to the west, which may be an early reference to the Great Salt Lake or a tantalizing hint of access to the Pacific. 

39 - L'Espagne..., 1701

52 - Carte du Diocese de Narbonne..., 1704

62 - Carte d'Artois et des Environs..., 1704

65  - Le Cours du Rhin au dessus de Strasbourg, et les Pais adjacens..., 1704. Folding

66 - Le Cours du Rhin dupuis Strasbourg jus qu'a Worms et les Pays Adjacens..., no date. Folding

67 - Le Cours du Rhin depuis Worms, jus qua Bonne et les Pays Adjaces..., no place, 1704. Folding

70 - Les Isles Britanniques ou sont le R.me d'Angleterre tire de Sped celuy d'Ecosse tire de Th. Pont &c. et celuy d'Irelande tire de Petti..., 1702

74 - Carte des Provinces Unies des Pays Bas..., 1702

78 - Carte du Comte de Flandre..., 1704. Folding

80 - Carte du Brabant..., 1705. Folding

Volume II:

1 - Carte des Pays Bas Catholiques..., 1702

2 - Carte des Comtez de Hainaut de Namur et de Cambresis..., 1706. Folding

9 - L'Italie..., 1700 (dampstained)

35 - Partie Meridionale de la Souabe..., 1704. Folding

36 - Partie Septentrionale de la Souabe..., 1704. Folding

51 - La Pologne..., 1702

52 / 53 - Carte de Moscovie..., 1706. 2 sheets, folding (edges of second map a bit frayed)

66 - Carte des Courones du Nord..., 1706

69/70 - Theatrum Historicum ad annum Christi quadringentesimu in quo tum Imperii Romani tu Barbarorum..., no date. Double-page engraved map of the Roman Empire with a western hemisphere upper left and folding letterpress panels on either side, 2 sheets (lefthand side detached, stained and browned in the folds, early repairs to verso).

Paris: chez l'Auteur le Sieur Delisle sur le Quai / Quay de l'Horloge

3 - Hemisphere Oriental... 15 Septembre 1724. Single eastern hemisphere with original hand-colour in outline

4 - Hemisphere Occidental...15 Septembre 1724. Single western hemisphere with original hand-colour in outline

5 - Hemisphere Septentrional pour voir plus distinctement Les Terres Arctiques... Juillet 1714. Single northern hemisphere with original hand-colour in outline

6 - Hemisphere Meridional pour voir plus distinctement Les Terres Australes... Juillet 1714. Single northern hemisphere with original hand-colour in outline

7 - Orbis Veteribus Noti Tabula Nova... Septemb. 1714. Single northern hemisphere with original hand-colour in outline

15 - Carte des Pays voisins de la Mer Caspiene..., 15 Aout 1723

21 - Carte du Congo et du Pays des Cafres..., 1708

22 - Carte de l'Egypte de la Nubie de l'Abissinie..., Nov. 1707. Folding (short marginal tear)

23 - Carte de la Barbarie de la Nigritie et de la Guinee..., no date

26 - Carte des Antilles Francoise et des Isles Voisines..., Juillet 1717. Folding

31 - Carte de la Louisiane et du Cours du Mississipi..., Juin, 1718. Fine folding engraved map of the Mississippi and the whole West of the United States, with original hand-colour in outline, the title within a banner across the top edge of the map, and with an inset "Carte Particulaiere des Embouchures de la Rivie S Louis et de La Mobile" lower right

Very rare first state of the first edition De L'Isle's celebrated map, one of the most important and influential maps of the 18th Century, the foundation map for all the later maps of the Mississippi and the whole West of the United States.

"A significant map in Western American history and a work by one of the greatest mapmakers of all time. The map revealed for the first time the importance of the Missouri River and gave the most accurate delineation of the Mississippi Valley up to that time… [Delisle’s] passion for pure scientific accuracy is reflected on his maps. If geographic information had not been directly observed by a reliable source, he refused to acknowledge it. Many longstanding myths and errors that had been passed from mapmaker to mapmaker for generations were suddenly absent on Delisle’s maps" (Cohen).

De L'Isle's map shows the explorations of De Soto, Cavelier, Tonty, Moscoso and Denis. It includes the best depiction of the Mississippi River to date, and for the first time presents a nearly accurate delineation of its entire length. It is the first map to include the name Texas with the legend "Mission de los Teijas," established in 1716.

38 - L'Europe..., 1700

42 - La France..., 1703

43 - Carte de la Prevoste et Vicomte de Paris..., 1711. Folding

44 - Plan de la Ville et Fauxbourgs de Paris..., 1716

45 - Carte Topographique du Diocese de Senlis..., 1709. Folding

46 - Carte du Diocese de Beauvais..., 1710

47 - Partie Meridionale de Picardie..., 1712

48 - Carte de Normandie..., Decembre 1716. Folding

50 - Carte de la Beauce du Gatinois de la Sologne..., 1718

51 - Carte du Bearn de la Bigorre de l'Armagnac et de Pays Voisins..., 1712. Folding 

53 - Carte du Diocese de Beziers, 1708

54 - Carte de Provence et des Teres Adjacentes..., 1715

55 - Tabula Delphinatus et Vicinarum Regionum..., 1710

56 - Partie Meridionale de Champagne..., 1713

57 - Partie Septentrionale du Duche de Bourgogne..., no date. Folding

61 - Civitas Leucorum sive Pagus Tullensis..., 1707

Volume II:

10 - Carte du Piemont et du Monferrat..., Avril 1707 (dampstained)

11 - Partie Meridionale du Piemont et du Monferrat..., 1707 (dampstained)

18 - Carte de L'Isle et Royaume de Sicile..., Aout 1717. With an inset of Malt and Goza lower left

19 - Siciliae Antiquae quiae et Sicannia e Trinacria..., December, 1714. Folding, with an inset "Veterum Syracusarum Typus" upper left

20 - Tabula Italiae Antiquae ..., August 1726. Folding

21 - Regionum Italiae Mediarum Tabula Geographica..., April, 1711. With an inset of "Urbs Septicollis" lower left

59 - Carte Particuliere de la Hongrie de la Transilvanie de la Croatie et dela Sclavonie..., 20 May, 1717

60 - Carte de la Grece..., no date. Folding

61 - Graeciae Antiqueae Tabula Nova..., October, 1707. Folding

62 - Graeciae pars Septentrionalis..., Mart, 1708. Folding (separations at folds)

64 / 65 - Carte du Royaume de Danemarc..., no date. 2 sheets, the first folding

 

De L'Isle - sans address

Volume I:

16 - Carte de l'Isle de Ceylan. 1700

Volume II:

58 - Partie Meridionale de Duche de Bourgogne..., 1709. Folding

68 - Imperii Orientalis et Circumjacentium Regionum sub Constantino Porphyrogenito..., no date.

 

Bern: Benedikt Roth

Volume II:

6 - Nova Totius Helvetiae tabula exhibens ejus XIII pagos, cantones dictos unâ cùm sociorum ditionibus atque communium, subditorium provinciis ..., Bern: 1730. Original hand-colour in outline. RARE

 

Nuremberg: Homann

2 - Mappe Monde qui represente les deux Hemispheres, savoir celui de l'Orient et celui de l'Occident tiree des quatre Cartes generales de feu M. le Professeur Hasius, dressee par Mr. G.M. Lowitz, et publiee par les Heritiers de Homann, Avec Privil. Imper. l'An 1746. Double hemisphere map of the world with smaller spheres in the border surrounding, including a north polar projection above and between the main spheres, and a south polar projection and oblique projections beneath, the title in French and Latin each within asymmetrical rococo cartouches at each upper corner, with original hand-colour in outline and in part

8 - Asia. 1744

10 - Judea seu Palestina... no date

13 - Imperium Turcicum in Europa, Asia et Africa,... no date

16 - Imperii Persici..., no date

18 - Africa..., 1737. With original hand-colour in full.

24 - Americae Mappa generalis..., 1746. Fine engraved map of North and South America  with original hand-colour in full, the title within an elaborate asymmetrical rococo historiated cartouche lower left

32 - Amplissimae Regionis Mississipi Seu Provinciae Ludoviciana a P.P. Ludovico Hennepin Francise Miss in America Septentrionali Anno 1687... no date. A fine engraved map of the southeast of North America, with original hand-colour in full, the title within an elaborate historiated and allegorical cartouche showing Niagra Falls upper left, and an allegorical vignette showing native Americans and a Buffalo lower right

A superb example of Homann's map of the course of the Mississippi River, based upon the reports of Hennepin, who explored the upper Mississippi and Great Lakes regions as a Jesuit Missionary in the late 1600s.The map follows closely De Li'Isles "Carte du Mexique et de la Floride des Terres Angloises et des Isles Antilles du Cours et des Environs de la Riviere de Mississippi...," 1703. However the course of the major rivers (the Mississippi, the Ohio, the Missouri) is not nearly as accurate. The map shows the routes of a number of explorers throughout the Southwest and Louisiana. Wheat 144.

33 - Regni Mexicani Novae Hispaniae Ludovicianae N. Angliae, Carolina, Virginiae, et Pensylvania necnon Insularum Archpelagi Mexicani in America Septentrionali ... no date. A fine engraved map of the eastern seaboard of North America and Central America, with original handcolour in full, with the title within an elaborate allegorical asymmetrical rococo cartouche upper left, and with two very detailed and large vignettes.

A close copy of De L'Isles seminal  "Carte du Mexique et de la Floride des Terres Angloises et des Isles Antilles du Cours et des Environs de la Riviere de Mississippi...", 1703, with the addition of two magnificent vignettes: one, upper right, showing Europeans mining for gold and silver in the mountains and storing their treasure in a big chest, to the astonishment of the native Americans looking on; the other, lower left, a fierce naval battle, between the French and English and the Spanish, whose treasure fleets were under constant attack.

34 - Mappa Geographica, complectens I. Indiae Occidentalis partem mediam circum Isthmum Panamensem, II. Ipsumq Isthmum, III. Ichnographiam praecipuorum locorum & portuum ad has terras pertinentium..., no date. Fine engraved map of the Gulf Coast by d'Anville surrounded by insette vignette views of Panama, St. Agustine,Vera Cruz, Mexico City, and San-Domingo, with original hand-colour in part and in outline, the title within a magnificent allegorical rococo cartouche.

One of the earliest obtainable plans of a harbor in Florida.

35 - Nova Anglia Septentrionali Americae implantata Anglorumque coloniis florentissima Geographice exhibita. No date. A fine engraved map of New England and northeastern parts of North America, with original hand-colour in full, the title within an elaborate historiated cartouche lower right.

"A very fine map, which not only depicts Nova Anglia, Novum Belgium, Nieuw Nederland, &c., with extreme clearness and accuracy, but also shows the banks and shoals in St. George's Channel, and gives the soundings for the use of navigators. It retains the old Dutch names, especially in the province of New York"  (Kashnor) 

37 - Europa..., 1737

49 - ... De Bretagne... no date

59 - Comitatus Burgundiae.., no date

60 - Lotharingiae..., no date

71 - Magnae Britanniae Pars Meridionalis in qua Angl-Saxonum Regna..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

72 - Magna Britanniae Pars Septentrionalis qua Regnum Scotiae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

73 - Hiberniae Regnum... no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

77 - Comitatus Flandriae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

79 - ... Provinciae X Catholica Inferioris Germaniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

Volume II:

3 - Belgii pars Septentrionalis communi nomine Vulgo Hollandia..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

12 - Carta Geographica la quale rappresenta lo Strato della Republica di Genova Der Staat von der Republic Genova..., 1743. Decorated with an elaborate rococo cartouche enclosing a map of Geneva, with a magnificent birds-eye view of Geneva along the bottom of the map

13 - Ducatus Mediolani..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

15 - Status Ecclesiastici magnique ducatus Florentini..., No date. Fine original hand-colour in full (dampstained)

22 - Imperii Romano-Germanici..., 1741. Fine original hand-colour in full

24 - Regni Bohemiae.., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

25 - Bohemiae Regnum..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

27 - Le Cercle d'Autriche..., 1747. Fine original hand-colour in full

29 - Nova et accurata Carinthiae Ducatus..., no date. With fine original hand-colour in full, and a superb vignette birds-eye view of Klagenfurt in Carinthia, Austria, and others of the mountain pass and a regal procession, along the bottom edge, 

32 - Bavariae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

33 - Sueviae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

37 - Electoratus Moguntinus..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

38 - Rhenanus Superior..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

41 - Franconiae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

42 - Westphaliae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

45 - Saxoniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

46 - Saxioniae Inferioris..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

48 - Pomeraniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

49 - Borussiae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

50 - Poloniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full, but modern colour to the cartouche

54 - Danubii..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

55 - Dunubii Fluminis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

56 - Danubii Fluminis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

57 - Danubii Fluminis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

58 - Hungaria..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full (torn near the gutter at the bottom edge, early repair to verso)

63 - Daniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

67 - Scandinavia..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

 

Augsburg: Seutter

40 - Hispania..., no date

41 - Gallia..., no date

63 - Brisgoviae..., no date

64 - Alsatia ..., no date

68 - Martis Area et Alea..., no date

69 - Angliae, Scotiae Hiberniae..., no date

75 - XVII. Provinciae Belgii sive Germaniae Interioris..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

76 - ... Provinciae XVII Infer. Germaniae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

Volume II:

4 - Nova totius Helvetiae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

5 - Potentissimae Helvetiorum Reipublicae Cantones Tredecim..., 1732

7 - Lacus Bodamicus vel Acronius..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

8 - Nova et Exactissima totius Italiae Sardiniae et Corsicae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

14 - Milano..., no date. a fine engraved map of the city in original hand-colour in full, with a superb birds-eye view of the city beneath (dampstained)

16 - Napolis Regnum..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full (dampstained)

17 - Siciliae Regnum..., no date. fine engraved map of Sicily and Sardinia with original hand-colour in full, the title within a magnificent allegorical rococo cartouche, and with two uncoloured vignettes of Messina and Etna

23 - Postarum seu Cursorum Publicorum..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

26 - Silesiae Ducatus..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

28 - Stiria Ducatus..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

30 - Exactissima Ducatus Carniolae..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

31 - ...Tirolis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

34 - Suevicus..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

39 - Rhenani Superioris..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

40 - Rhenani Inferioris..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

43 - Liege..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

44 - Montensis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full

47 - Brandenburgensis..., no date. Fine original hand-colour in full (early repair to verso)

A student of the noted French cartographer, Giovanni Domenico Cassini, and the son of Claude De l'Isle, the geographer and historian to the king, Guillaume De l'Isle developed a strong basis for his cartographical skills. He produced his first terrestrial globe in 1699, and displayed a profound talent for capturing a high level of accuracy and geographical knowledge. In 1718, Louis XIV celebrated his much revered skill and accuracy by appointing him First Geographer to the French Monarchy, a title created specifically for him. In his many years in this position, De l'Isle became known for his correction of geographical errors common to his contemporaries, including dispelling the rumor of mythical lands in still-unexplored regions. 

Homann's prolific map and atlas production made an invaluable contribution to German regional cartography and had a profound impact on European map publishing in the eighteenth century. Founded in the year 1702, Homann's printing house became so successful that it was credited with the revival of the German printing industry, after what had been a long period of domination by the Dutch. Homann became a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1707, and in 1715 was appointed Geographer to the Emperor. By the time of his death in the year 1724, Homann had published more than 200 maps for his atlases. Under the direction of his son and son-in-law the firm would thrive well into the next century. 

Matthaus Seutter the elder first published his "Atlas Geographicus" in 1720 and added to the contents in subsequent editions under the title "Atlas Novus". He was succeeded in his business by his son George Mathaeus Seutter, and after his death his son Albrecht Carl inherited, but died early in 1762. Matthaus' widow then sold the business to her sons-in-law Tobias Conrad Lotter and Johann Michael Probst, who eventually left it to M.A. Lotter Matthaus' grandson (cf. Shirley, British Isles T.SEU 1a-2a).