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M-9579: (Image: 18 ½  x 22 ½ ) “MAPPA GEOGRAPHICA REGIONEM MEXICANAM ET FLORIDAM...” Guillaume De l'Isle. Augsburg: Tobias Conradus Lotter, c. 1740. Important engraved map with original hand-coloring.

Exceptional version of the De l'Isle map of Mexico & Florida. Lotter added insets of the Caribbean Ports of Vera Cruz, Havana, Cartagena & Porto Bello (describing Adm. Vernon's 1739 siege); route of Spanish treasure ships; cartouche of a naval battle. 

De l'Isle's map “influenced delineation of the Mississippi Valley for many years…it was a towering landmark along the path of Western cartographic development…the first printed map to portray accurately the course and mouth of the Mississippi River. He correctly depicted the Great Lakes region as well as the many English settlements along the East Coast”.  De l'Isle was the first to show French claims extending to the Rio Grande - touching off a cartographic war in which mapmakers of each country issued versions depicting their own territorial claims. 

References:  #1:  Schwartz & Ehrenberg The Mapping of  America, p. 143 - illustrated.  #2: Martin & Martin Maps of Texas & the Southwest, pl 18  (this version illustrated).