Historical 1778 Bellin Nautical Chart or Map of The World - 18in x 24in Fine Art Print - Antique Vintage Map

An attractive first edition first state example of J. N. Bellin's 1778 nautical chart of the world. Presents the entire world on a Mercator Projection based on a Paris (L'Isle de Fer) meridian. This is notably the first state of this important map, exhibiting a pre-Cook geography throughout, but most specifically in the Pacific and along the northwest coast of America. North America to the west of the Mississippi is vaguely rendered according to 16th century expeditions into the region by Coronado, La Salle, De Soto, and others. Bellin identifies the semi-mythical civilizations of Quivira and Teguayo, both associated with legends of the Seven Cities of Gold, in what is modern day Utah, California, and Nevada. Along the western coast the strait discovered by Martin Aguilar is noted. Further north still the River of the West (Fl. de l'Ouest) extends from the west coast to the Lake of the Woods (Lac de Bois) and thence via additional waterways to the Great Lakes and the Atlantic. The River of the West appeared in many 18th century maps of the Americas and is reflective of French hopes for a water route from their colonies in Canada and Louisiana to the Pacific. Still further north the coastline becomes extremely vague, in places vanishing altogether. Australia, here labeled "Nouvelle Holland", has part of its southern coastline ghosted in and Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) is attached to the mainland. The southern coast of New Guinea is similarly ghosted in, suggesting its unexplored state. It is of interest that there is a common misconception regarding this map that suggests the first edition was dated 1748. There are editions with a printed date of 1748, but these are actually later editions. The 1748 date is a printing error in which "8" and "4" are transposed, the actual date of publication being 1784. The first edition of this map is the 1778 example shown here.

• VINTAGE MAP REPRODUCTION: Add style to any room's decor with this beautiful decorative print. Whether your interior design is modern, rustic or classic, a map is never out of fashion
• MUSEUM QUALITY INKS AND PAPER: Printed on thick 192gsm heavyweight matte paper with archival giclee inks, this historic fine art will decorate your wall for years to come
• ARTWORK MADE TO ORDER IN THE USA: We make each reprint only when you order it. Every antique map is edited for image quality, color and vibrance, so it can look its best while retaining historical character. Makes a great gift!
• FRAME READY: Your unframed poster ships crease-free, rolled in a sturdy mailing tube. Many maps fit easy-to-find standard size frames 16x20, 16x24, 18x24, 24x30, 24x36, saving on custom framing
• Watermarks will not appear in the printed picture. Old maps sometimes have blemishes, tears, or stamps that may be removed from the final print