Carte Générale de la Terre Napoléon (à la Nouvelle Hollande). Rédigée d'après les travaux éxécutés à bord de la corvette le 'Géographe' et de la goëlette le 'Casuarina' par M. L. Freycinet, an 1808
[Paris, Imprimerie Royale, 1812 (second issue?)/ 1811].
An engraved map ('Gravé par P.A.F. Tardieu ... Ecrit par Giraldon et Lale'), matted, framed and glazed (visible image size surface 510 × 760 mm; external dimensions approximately 725 × 980 mm).
Vertical centrefold crease, as issued; paper a little tanned, with some offsetting and a few spots of foxing; in excellent condition (not examined out of the frame).
One of the earliest published charts of the South Australian coastline, compiled by Louis de Freycinet on the Baudin voyage (1800-1803). It includes the complete coastline of Kangaroo Island, which was first circumnavigated and fully charted by the French on this voyage (Matthew Flinders had charted its north coast a short time previously). The charming engraved vignettes of Australian wildlife are after drawings by Charles Alexandre Lesueur. This example is from the scarce second issue, published as Plate 10 of the imperial folio atlas to 'Partie navigation et géographie' volumes of the official account of the expedition, 'Voyage de découvertes aux terres australes' (1812). It had previously appeared as Plate 2 in the second part of the atlas to the 'Historique' volumes, published in 1811 (Tooley 611). Tooley does not appear to list this issue, but does list a subsequent state (twice, as 414 and 633), which includes a price at the bottom right and the reference 'Hyd. Fr. N° 636' next to the plate number.
Item #133915
Price (AUD):
$6,000.00