1755 Fry & Jefferson Map of Virginia and Maryland — “Carte De La Virginie Et Du Maryland” (Thomas Jefferson’s Father as Surveyor)

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Original copperplate engraving from Carte de la Virginie et du Maryland, first issued in 1755 by Joshua Fry and Peter … Read more Original copperplate engraving from Carte de la Virginie et du Maryland, first issued in 1755 by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson. This landmark colonial map is widely regarded as the most important and accurate map of Virginia produced in the 18th century and remained the standard geographic reference for decades.

Prepared on the eve of the French and Indian War, the map documents settlements, counties, rivers, roads, and frontier geography stretching from the Chesapeake Bay deep into the Appalachian backcountry—capturing the colony at a pivotal moment just before major westward expansion.

Originally commissioned by the Virginia colonial government, the Fry & Jefferson survey provided critical intelligence for military planning and westward settlement. Its authority was so strong that it was later used by figures including George Washington and remained influential through the Revolutionary era.

Historical Importance:
One of the earliest large-scale scientific surveys of colonial Virginia
Depicts early county boundaries, rivers, settlements, Native territories, and frontier routes
Important Chesapeake Bay, Potomac River, and Shenandoah Valley detail
Elegant French title cartouche engraved in decorative rococo style
A foundational map in early American cartography
historically tied to the Jefferson family legacy
essential for collectors of Revolutionary-era geography
one of the most influential pre-Revolutionary American surveys
A museum-level map with strong appeal to collectors of colonial America, Virginia history, early surveying, and Jeffersoniana.

In very good condition. Dimensions: 28 1/2" x 20"

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