Northwest Passage Search Sea of the West 1752 Admiral de Fonte Delisle map fantasy

Carte Generale des Decouvertes de l'Amiral de Fonte et autres Navigateurs Espagnol, Anglois et Russes pour le recherche de passage a la mer du Sud...

(Eastern Hemisphere, Pacific Ocean, Search for a Northwest Passage, Sea of the West, Fictional Cartography).

Issued 1752, Paris by de l'Isle.

Fascinating mid-18th century map depicting a highly fantastic and inaccurate West Coast, including a non-existent "Sea of the West" (Mer de L'Ouest), and an apocryphal navigable water route from Hudson Bay to the Pacific Ocean. The mythical Admiral de Fonte is mentioned, numerous small engraved notes, discoveries named, sea route of French ship under M. de Frondat in 1709, tracks of de L'Isle in 1741, Admiral de Fonte tracks along California coast in 1640, etc.

Inset at top left depicts the geography of the mythical Admiral de Fonte along the coast of Calif. according to his letters.

Light uniform paper age toning, original fold lines, remaining clean - a pleasing and well preserved visual example.

Sheet measures c. 12 3/4" H x 16 5/8" W.

Printed area measures c.11 5/8" H x 15" W.

Tooley's Dictionary of Mapmakers, v. 2.

[VR20624]