Antique Map of the Americas and West Indies by Robert de Vaugondy, 1778

€ 1 500

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1778
Technique: Engraved
Sheet size: 53 × 70 cm (20.9 × 27.6 in)
Condition: Fair
Reference: PCT-37326

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Replacements made: Good condition overall. The map has light vertical folding, as issued, with some minor restoration along the centerfold. Faint spotting may be present, especially in the upper areas. Paper remains stable, and the impressions are clear and legible. Repaired: General age related toning and light staining. Worm holes at lower middle fold and bottom margin; paper separation lower middle fold, backed by identical paper. Irregular paper edges, chipped with small tears, backed by identical paper. General age related toning and light staining. Shows some creasing and wear. Please review the images for further condition details.

About this sheet

A map of the Americas, titled "Amérique ou Indes Occidentales," by Robert de Vaugondy, published in 1778. The sheet is an original engraving with light outline color, with a title cartouche at the lower right.

North and South America are shown in full on a curved projection, with the Pacific labeled "Mer du Sud ou Pacifique" and the Atlantic "Mer du Nord." Two large insets at the left give separate maps of the island of Martinique and of Saint-Domingue, with the coast, rivers and place names drawn in detail. In the north the Pacific coast of North America is extended westward and crossed by rivers running inland, including the "Rivière de l'Ouest," a theoretical water route linking the Pacific to the interior and to the Mississippi, reflecting accounts of Admiral de Fonte and Martin d'Aguilar. A tabulated panel of text at the right sets out the American possessions of the European powers in columns.

The map was drawn on the eve of the Pacific voyages of Captain Cook, and shows the Northwest as a region still open to speculation.