Description:

Joseph Purcell
New Haven, CT, ca. 1788
1788 Map of Southeastern United States & Spanish Provinces of East & West Florida
Map

Joseph Purcell (1750-1807). Original 1788 "Map of the States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia Comprehending the Spanish Provinces of East and West Florida" by Joseph Purcell. 1p, 16" x 15", engraved for Morse's Geography by Amos Doolittle at New Haven, Connecticut, 1788. Moderate toning with flattened creases displaying some wear-through, uneven edges, loss to the lower left corner and compass rose looks like it has been hand-colored at a more recent date, but overall well-preserved in good condition and ready to frame.

In the early days of United States Independence, the continental expanse of North America was split between the new nation, British territory, Spanish territory, and the existing Native American nations. Furthermore, these powers were vying for territory with one another - constantly reshaping the political geography of the continent. This map records a slice in space-time, reflecting the history and geography of this land.

The map features a stunning title cartouche in the lower right decorated with a detailed engraving featuring the flora and fauna evocative of the place depicted - cattails and a small alligator - in an urn at the finial. The entire southeast portion of the modern-day U.S. is depicted, from Maryland at Delaware Bay, south through Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia as well as the Spanish colonial provinces of East and West Florida and the border of Louisiana and the mouth of the Mississippi. Detailed physical geographic characteristics including rivers and the Appalachian Mountains are depicted, as well as key ports, towns and settlements. Native American Nations like the Cherokee, Seminoles (as "Seminolas" following the Spanish), Muskogees, Creeks, "Chicasaws", "Chactaws", and Catabaws are noted and their settlements depicted with teepee type symbols. The Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Florida "or New Bahama Channel", the Florida Keys and the Gulf of Mexico are all also depicted, as well as the lines of Latitude and Longitude, with a map legend in the upper right and scale bar to the right. Fantastic example of a physical and political map capturing the competing powers in the region at the time.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 16" x 15"
  • Medium: Map

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