PANAMA ISTHMUS OF PANAMA 1730 D'ANVILLE ANTIQUE ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVED MAP

Description

PANAMA ISTHMUS OF PANAMA 1730 D'ANVILLE ANTIQUE ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVED MAP
PANAMA ISTHMUS OF PANAMA 1730 D'ANVILLE ANTIQUE ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVED MAP
Description
Carte Particuliere de l'Isthme de Panama, Golfe de Darien, Côte de Carthagene. jusqu'a S.te Marthe. Par le Sr. D'Anville Géographe Ord.re du Roi Avril 1730
.
Description:
Striking and highly detailed
fine
scarce 1720 Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville's copper engraved map of the Isthmus of Panama, Gulf of Darien and the coast of South America.
The map was part of one of the first histories of the island of Hispaniola, then split into Spanish controlled-Santo Domingo and French-controlled Saint Domingue.
The seemingly-fragile isthmus connecting North and South America is to the west, while the tip of South America is to the east. Cartagena, or Carthagene as is appears here, is the principal settlement shown to the east, while the forts of Porto Bello are listed to the west. A decorative cartouche in the upper center explains the title, maker, and date of production, April 1730.
The interior includes hills, lakes, rivers, and settlements, as well as information about indigenous peoples. Despite the presence of Europeans for two centuries by the time this map was made, portions of the depicted lands were still ‘peu connu’, or little known, as was the case with the Gulf of Darien.
A decorative title cartouche and three mileage scales complete the map.
This remoteness, paired with the resistance of the Darien people to Spanish invasion, made the coasts shown here prime territory for illicit acts. The Mosquito Coast, as it was known, was famous for illegal logging by buccaneers. Pirates also used the narrow strip of land. In the 1680s, a group of English marauders crossed the isthmus with the help of the Darien people, stole ships in the Pacific, and then raided Spanish shipping up and down the west coast of South America. The French had raided Cartagena as recently as 1697, while Porto Bello had also been attacked several times by the 1730s.
This map, although it carries no page number or binding instructions, was part of a book for which D’Anville produced several items. This was Father Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix’s "Histoire de L’Isle Espagnole ou de S. Domingue", the first volume of which was published in Paris in 1730. This was one of the first books to be dedicated to the history of the island and this map was part of an important source for the history and geography of the Caribbean region.
Date:
1730 ( dated )
Dimension:
Paper size approx.:
cm
35,8 x 23,2
Condition:
Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains. Map uncolored. Good margim to the top. Quite lower marging. Quite right lateral margin. Quite left lateral margin, partially missing to the lower side. Corners partially missing. Small foxing and browning. Small tears, partially reinforced on the verso. Map folded. Conditions are as you can see in the images
.
Mapmaker:
Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697 - 1782) was perhaps the most important and prolific cartographer of the 18th century. D'Anville's passion for cartography manifested during his school years when he amused himself by composing maps for Latin texts. There is a preserved manuscript dating to 1712, Graecia Vetus, which may be his earliest surviving map - he was only 15 when he drew it. He would retain an interest in the cartography of antiquity throughout his long career and published numerous atlases to focusing on the ancient world. At twenty-two D'Anville, sponsored by the Duke of Orleans, was appointed Geographer to the King of France. As both a cartographer and a geographer, he instituted a reform in the general practice of cartography. Unlike most period cartographers, D'Anville did not rely exclusively on earlier maps to inform his work, rather he based his maps on intense study and research. His maps were thus the most accurate and comprehensive of his period - truly the first modern maps. Thomas Basset and Philip Porter write: "It was because of D'Anville's resolve to depict only those features which could be proven to be true that his maps are often said to represent a scientific reformation in cartography." (The Journal of African History, Vol. 32, No. 3 (1991), pp. 367-413). In 1754, when D'Anville turned 57 and had reached the height of his career, he was elected to the Academie des Inscriptions. Later, at 76, following the death of Philippe Buache, D'Anville was appointed to both of the coveted positions Buache held: Premier Geographe du Roi, and Adjoint-Geographer of the Academie des Sciences. During his long career D'Anville published some 211 maps as well as 78 treatises on geography. D'Anville's vast reference library, consisting of over 9000 volumes, was acquired by the French government in 1779 and became the basis of the Depot Geographique - though D'Anville retained physical possession his death in 1782. Remarkably almost all of D'Anville's maps were produced by his own hand. His published maps, most of which were engraved by Guillaume de la Haye, are known to be near exact reproductions of D'Anville' manuscripts. The borders as well as the decorative cartouche work present on many of his maps were produced by his brother Hubert-Francois Bourguignon Gravelot. The work of D'Anville thus marked a transitional point in the history of cartography and opened the way to the maps of English cartographers Cary, Thomson and Pinkerton in the early 19th century.
All of the maps we sell are ORIGINALS. We guarantee all of our maps to be authentic. We do our best to describe the condition of our maps as accurately as possible. Due to the age and type of paper, some imperfections are to be expected. Please examine the images provided carefully, and if you have any questions please ask and we will be happy to help.
A Certification of Authenticity ( COA ) can be issued on request
I will send you all your item by Registered and Insured Airmal or by TNT/DHL with covering Insurance
If you buy more than one item you have to pay just one only shipping cost
Any map purchased from us may be returend for any reason for a full refund.
About:
Old Times
Rare Antiquarian Books & Maps Sellers
Our Firm was founded in 1983 and we are specialized on antiquarian works on paper concerning Antique Rare Maps, Atlases and Travel Books of all the World.
Our Firm adheres to the Codes of Ethics outlined by the Italian Antiquarian Booksellers Association ( ALAI ) and  International League of Antiquarian Booksellers ( ILAB ).
All items sold by OLD TIMES are genuine and a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) will be happily supplied on request.
Many Thanks
Cesare Giannelli
OLD TIMES
RARE ANTIQUARIAN BOOKS & MAPS SELLERS
Via Cortonese, 70
06124 - Perugia
Italy
Phone/Fax:  0039 - 075 - 505 20 18
http://www.oldtimesrarebooks.com
View My Feedback
View My Other Items For Sale
View My About Me page
Visit My eBay Store
Add me to your Favorite Sellers
Click images to enlarge
Get images that
make Supersized seem small.
Showcase your items with Auctiva's
Listing Templates!
THE simple solution for eBay sellers.
Track Page Views With
Auctiva's FREE Counter