• Title : America Aurea Pars Altera Mundi Auctoribus Gerardo et Leonardo Valk....
• Ref #:  16379
• Size: 24 1/2in x 20 1/2in (625mm x 520mm)
• Date : 1710
• Condition: (A) Very Good Condition

Description: 
This large rare beautifully hand coloured original antique map of America by Gerald & Leonard Valk was published in 1710.
Gorgeous old color example of this striking map of America, A strong dark impression of this scarce map. 

Background: Valck's map of America illustrates many of the myths of cartographic America in the 17th Century. California is shown as an island based on the second Sanson Model.  A massive land bridge extends from just west of Capo Blanco on the northern California coastline to Niphon, a curious adaptation of the legend of Compagnie Land (shown here as a place name -- Terre de la Compagne) and the continuous land bridge from America to Asia, although adding the Detroit de Tzungaar (Strait of Tzungaar), a very rarely mentioned mythical Strait between two islands of Japan.
The Great Lakes are oddly configured, with Lake Superior and Lake Michigan open ended to the West. The Mississippi River is very ill conceived, pre-dating the radical improvements which would come with Guilluame De L'Isle's map of North America of 1700 and Carte du Mexique of 1703. 

Many of the facts of America depicted in this map Valk derives directly from Alexis-Hubert Jaillot in the late 17th century. Interestingly in transferringFLORIDE FRANÇOISE from Jaillot the engraver managed to come up withFloroi de Fran. It appears the remainder of Françoise was erased whilst arranging the border. No attempt is made to update the cartography, none of the more recent English colonies is present, not even Pennsylvania, arguably the one with the most exposure throughout the continent of Europe. A second title is engraved across the top of the map detailing further the various territories. The imprint and a total of eight different scales are decorated by a trading scene with natives who appear more Asian than American Indian. It is more accurately rendered in the similar scene lower right. (Ref: Burden; Tooley; M&B)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - off white
Age of map color: - Original 
Colors used: - Yellow, green, pink, blue.
General color appearance: - Authentic
Papaer size: - 24 1/2in x 20 1/2in (625mm x 520mm)
Plate size: - 23 1/2in x 19 1/2in (595mm x 495mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (10mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - Small repair to left margin 2in into image, no loss.
Plate area: - Light soiling 
Verso: - Light soiling