Nova Anglia Novum Belgium et Virginia

First French edition of Jansson’s important map of America’s eastern coast.

This attractive copperplate engraved map with original outline color shows the coast of North America between the Carolinas and Nova Scotia. Detail is given of the coastline and the major bays, while the Hudson and Susquehanna Rivers are prominently, though not quite correctly, displayed.

Further information is given of inland lakes: including Lake Champlain, shown incorrectly placed to the east of the Hudson, a large lake at the start of the Susquehanna (possibly one of the Finger Lakes) and two depictions of the Great Lakes. These latter depictions probably indicate Lakes Ontario (Lac des Yroquois) and Huron (Grand Lac), but whatever the case, they reflect very early knowledge of the Great Lakes gleaned from the voyages of discovery and represent the first Dutch map to show lakes connected with the river system of the St. Lawrence.

The image is derived primarily from a 1630 map by Johannes de Laet and is one of the first uses of Massachusetts, New Amsterdam (New York), and Manbattes (Manhattan). This is the first state, distinguished with the decorative circular cartouche and inclusion of Virginia in the title. The French text on verso indicates it was included in the 1639 edition of Jan Jannson’s Nouvel Atlas.

An important and early cartographic record of the Dutch colonization efforts in the New Netherlands, as well as an elegant overview of an important region in colonial North America.

Sources: Burden 247, Karpinski 2, Cumming plate 25, McCorkle 636.2, Goss 29,