NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA HEIGHTENED WITH GOLD "Recentissima Novi Orbis Sive Americae Septentrionalis et Meridionalis Tabula". Copper engraving published in Amsterdam by Carolus Allard c. 1697. Original hand colouring, heightened with gold. Rare map of North and South America, the first to show important corrections to the mapping of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Valley. The cartouche is especially attractive, with an allegorical figure of America seated within a sugar cane field inhabited by exotic animals and scenes relating to mankind's eternal search for gold. Allard's map includes one of the boldest depictions of the myth of Terra Esonis, a land bridge extending from Japan to the Straits of Anian, here with over a dozen place names and only a small strait on either side. We see a beautiful example of California as an Island, based upon Nicholas Sanson's second projection. The open ended Great Lakes and primitive early treatment of the Mississippi River are also noteworthy, as is the early Rio Colorado, extending to a lake in Apachas and Navaio regions of the Southwest, and mistakenly referencing Taos and Xila, indicating a confusion with the Rio Grande regarding the Taos reference. The interior of South America includes tribal vignettes in Brazil and a misprojected, overly wide projection of the continent. An further interesting aspect of the map is the depiction of early Australia. Quiri Regio, the Northern parts of what would become Australia, are also well delineated, showing what would become Carpentaria, the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arnhem Land. A massive island of Isabella appears above Australia. Several early place names and islands are also shown. The map of America by Allard is derived from that of Frederick de Wit, c. 1675. Reference: Burden, The Mapping of North America II: 724 Price: Euro2.200,- (excl. VAT)
