Historic Maps
c. 1636 First State "America Septentrionalis" by Henricus Hondius Impressively Designed Map, California as an Island
c. 1636 First State Map, "America Septentrionalis" by Henricus Hondius, showing California as an Island, Choice Extremely Fine
A wonderful, Ornate Copper-Plate Engraved Map, lightly Hand-Colored in outline and wash, with two historical decorative cartouches. This Map measures 18.5" x 21.75" and has been neatly hinged beneath a clean professional matting, with superb eye-appeal as a display piece. This is the first example of this rare "First State" design we have handled (though we have offered several other Hondius maps in the past). An outstanding major feature being that this Map shows North America, with California as a large Island. The North American continent is inhabited by numerous vignettes of Animals, Sailing Ships and a few Sea Monsters in the oceans. Author Burden calls this a "beautifully engraved map" that had "greater influence than any other to date in perpetuating the theory of California as an island..." Cartographically, this Map is a careful composition of many different sources and illustrates well the state of knowledge current at the time. The depiction and nomenclature of the West, along with that of the insular California, derive directly from Henry Briggs' "The North Part of America," 1635. A legend placed strategically over the North-west coastline offers the opportunity to discontinue a coastline least understood. An unnamed lake still feeds a Rio del Norto flowing incorrectly south-west into what should be the headwaters of the Gulf of California. On the east bank of this river is Real de Nueua Mexico, or Santa Fe. This is the First State of the map, a 1636 issue, with no imprint in the cartouche at lower left, Latin text on verso, and signature mark on the verso. Burden 245; Koeman Vol. II, p.397, no. 486; Leighly 13; McLaughlin 6; Tooley p.113; Wheat Transmississippi 45 (1640 issue).