This very large copper-plate engraved beautifully hand coloured 2 sheet joined original antique map of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast was engraved in 1732 with updates by by Guillaume Nicolas Delahaye (1727 - 1802) in 1752 - the dates are engraved in the title - and was published in Jean-Baptiste Bourguinon D'Anville's large elephant folio atlas Atlas Generale.

An uncommon, historically important and influential map of US South coast, stretching from the Tallahassee area to the mouth of the Sabine in Texas. It is one of the earliest and most detailed large format maps of the region, depicting early French settlements of the Gulf Coast region.
The map tracks the Mississippi, Arkansas, Red, Osage and Missouri Rivers, and includes excellent large inset of the Mississippi River Valley from the Arkansas to above the Missouri Rivers.
It is known that Thomas Jefferson acquired 7 of D'Anville's maps in 1787, almost certainly, this was one of them. Jefferson commented to Gallatin about the importance of this map. Meriwether Lewis obtained a copy prior to the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
It is also know that most of the information for this map is derived from Valentin Devin, who arrived in Pensacola in 1719 and began producing highly detailed maps immediately upon his arrival on the Gulf Coast, until expelled by the Spanish after a three year struggle. Devin used his information and materials gathered from Le Maire and others to produce a number of manuscript maps which were sent back to France and resulted in a series of marvellous maps by De L'Isle, Buache and finally D'Anville, whose maps of the Gulf Coast formed the standard for a number of years.

To illustrate the cartography of the middle to latter part of the eighteenth century -  especially detail of America & the Southern Hemisphere - a D' Anville map is essential. He dominated not only the French but all contemporary geographers, regardless of nationality.
He was foremost in using the latest and most accurate cartographic information from the latest discoveries of French explorers of the day but also from Cook and others. And unlike many cartographers of the day he was not adverse to leave blank spaces in his maps where knowledge was insufficient.

These maps are hard to find in such good condition and make fantastic historical reference tools due to the size and high level of detail as with all D'Anvilles work. (Ref: Tooley, M&B)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - White
Age of map color: - Early
Colors used: - Yellow, pink
General color appearance: - Authentic
Paper size: - 38in x 21 1/4in (970mm x 540mm)
Plate size: - 37in x 20 1/4in (950mm x 515mm)
Margins: - Min 1/4in (10mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - Restoration to top & bottom margins folds
Plate area: - Light spotting & restoration along folds, no loss
Verso: - L&R folds re-enforced

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