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Description

Petrini's exceedingly rare edition of De Fer's wall map of America. One of the most important maps of its time, incorporating late 17th Century Jesuit information from the Mississippi River and Great Lakes regions, as well as a massive depiction of California as an Island. The map is surrounded by images of natives and scenes from varying parts of the continents including two industries important to the old world, Beavers, for their pelts and the Newfoundland cod fishery. The text sections discuss the inhabitants of Virginia (with an illustration of the natives), Canada (with the Beaver scene), the Illinois (with a scene showing the French concluding a war with the Indians by passing the peace pipe), the Cod Fisheries (with vignette) and the native Mexicans). De Fer's (and Petrini's) use of the Beaver and Codfish scenes pre-date Moll's more famous maps. The depiction of the East Coast of America and Florida follow the contemporary French models employed by Coronelli. The massive drainage basin of the Mississippi derives from Hennepin, who is also the source of the Beaver scene, which first appeared in his report of 1697. Terrific large fromat California as an island. The Mississippi is pushed far west of its true course. Some restorations in the centerfolds and at the lower right corners. No complete copy has appeared in a dealer catalogue or in any auction this century. Wagner 486b (referencing a catalogue description from a 19th Century catalogue).