Africa: A Large 17th Century Hand-Colored Map by Sanson and Jaillot

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This large original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Africa entitled "L'Afrique divisee suivant l'estendue de ses principales parties ou sont … Read more This large original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Africa entitled "L'Afrique divisee suivant l'estendue de ses principales parties ou sont distingues les uns des autres, Les Empires, Monarchies, Royaumes, Estats et Peuples qui partagent aujourd'huy l'Afrique sur les Relations les plus Nouvelles par le Sanson" was originally created by Nicholas Sanson d'Abbeville and published by Hubert Jaillot in "Atlas Nouveau" in Paris in 1692. It depicts the continent of Africa, Madagascar, the Azores, Canaries, and Cape Verde Islands, as well as several islands in the southern Atlantic and a small portion of Southern Europe and northeastern South America, including portions of Brazil and Paraguay. The Barbary Coast of North Africa is depicted in detail, as this area had been thoroughly explored by European and Arab traders. A decorative title cartouche in the right upper corner includes two mythical-style male gods, two native black men, a lion, ostrich, elephant, and alligator. There is a coat-of-arms in the upper center with plants and a scalloped design about the periphery. A scale cartouche is present in the upper left corner.
This large original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of Africa consists of two sheets joined as one along a vertical joint. It is printed on antique hand-made laid, chain-linked paper with wide margins. The sheet measures 24.88" high and 38" wide. There is a central vertical joint, as issued, with mild misregistration and mild irregularity of the lower edges of the left and right margins. There are two small spots in the upper margin, one tiny spot in the right margin and mild color offset resulting from contact with the color on the opposite sides of the map over hundreds of years in the atlas. The map is otherwise in very good to excellent condition. See less