• Title : Amerique Septentrionale, Divisee en ses Principales Parties, ou sont Distingues les Uns des Autres les Estats Suivant qu'ils Appartiennet Presentemet aux Francois, Castillans, Anglois, Suedois, Danois, Hollandois
• Date : 1692
• Condition: (A+) Fine Condition
• Ref:  43159
• Size: 35 1/2in x 23 1/2in (900mm x 595mm) 

Description: 
This large, magnificent & beautifully hand coloured original antique map of North America - showing California as an Island after the Sanson model - was published by Alexis Hubert Jaillot in 1692 - dated in scale cartouche - after Nicholas Sanson. This map is beautifully hand coloured with gold highlights along country borders and the cartouches indicating it was once part of an Imperial Atlas. The Imperial atlases were hand coloured using gold highlights and other rare colours which at the time was extremely expensive and available at the time only to royalty and the very rich.

Background:
Third state of this handsome map showing the island of California with an indented northern coast and the Terre de Iesso Ieco (Japan) just a short distance off its north-western coastline. All five Great Lakes are now shown, with Superior and Michigan open-ended. The Rio del Norte flows incorrectly into the Gulf of California.
The lion's share of today's United States is divided between Floride and Nouveau Mexique. The region of present-day South Carolina and Georgia is noted as Floride Francois. The decorative title cartouche is adorned with the French coat of arms, two Native Americans and tropical birds, with the distance scale cartouche below. The Latin title in upper margin is, "America septentrionalis in suas praecipuas partes divisa, ad usum serenissimi Burgundiae Ducis."

Jaillot who succeeded to Nicolas Sanson's business in the mid to late 17th century published this map showing California as an Island after the Sanson map of 1656. Jaillot has changed the title-piece and scale of miles but cartographically kept the map as per Sanson's earlier publications of 1656 & 1669. He has retained the idea of 5 great lakes with two open at the western end. He shows New Sweden and New Amsterdam. Curiously he omits Montreal, but does insert a few French missions round the Great Lakes; S. Simon, S. Pierre, S.Pol, S. Alexis, S. Joseph at Lake Erie. 

Condition Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - off white
Age of map color: - Original
Colors used: - Gold, yellow, green, red, brown.
General color appearance: - Authentic and fresh
Paper size: - 35 1/2in x 23 1/2in (900mm x 595mm)
Plate size: - 34 1/2in x 22 1/2in (875mm x 575mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - Small repairs to margin
Plate area: - Age toning, repair to right side of image 30cm, no loss
Verso: - Age toning, repairs as noted