This large finely engraved beautifully hand coloured original antique map of the United States, the Mississippi River, North America, was published by J.B Homann in 1720

This iconic map of the Mississippi River Valley by Johann Baptiste Homan is commonly called the 'Buffalo Map' for its distinctive decorative elements depicting a stylized buffalo. This map is derived from an earlier 1718 map of the same region by G. De L'Isle though it has been enlarged to include New England.
The map covers much of the modern day United States from Canada and the Great Lakes to the Florida Keys and from Mexico and Texas to the Pacific. According to the political conventions of the time this map is segmented into various zones including New Mexico (red) along the Rio de Norte (Rio Grande), Louisiana (blue) covering a vast area including Texas, all five of the Great Lakes, and both the upper and lower Mississippi River Valleys, Florida (green) consisting most of the American southeast, the english Colonies (yellow) along the Atlantic seaboard, and Canada (red) stretching across the top of the map north of the Great Lakes. Various explorers' routes (including de Soto) are noted, as are mission settlements, American Indian villages, fortifications, and portages. Florida is depicted as an archipelago inhabited by anthropophagi (cannibals). The cartouche work, in the upper left quadrant, details Niagara Falls as well as various allegorical illustrations. A secondary cartouche, showing American Indians and a stylized buffalo appears in the lower right.
This map enjoyed a long production run and was extremely popular throughout europe – most likely for its decorative inclusion of the American Buffalo and Niagara Falls, objects of fascination for many 18th century europeans. Though this map was issued in only one edition, it was published in Homann's Neuer Atlas, the Atlas Major, and many other composite atlases well into the late 1700s, making specific instances of the map all but possible to date with precision. Most examples thus reference the original publication date, c. 1720. (Ref: Tooley; M&B)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - off white
Age of map color: - Original & later
Colors used: - Yellow, green, blue, pink
General color appearance: - Authentic
Paper size: - 24in x 20 1/2in (610mm x 530mm)
Plate size: - 23in x 19 1/2in (590mm x 500mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (12mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - Light soiling
Plate area: - None
Verso: - None

If you wish to discuss this or any other item
please email or call - good luck, Simon.
Classical Images
61 (0) 409 551910 Tel
simon@classicalimages.com

43167