This map was first issued in 1639 in a popular geographical and historical work by Pierre d'Avity, "Le Monde ou la Description Générale de ses Quatre Parties avec tous ses Empires, Royaumes, Estats et Républiques". It was designed by Melchior Tavernier with an emphasis on the scientific aspect of geography. The eastern hemisphere is surrounded by numerous panels containing tables of climate and degrees of latitude and longitude, emulating the old Ptolemaic model. The geography is based on an antiquated model even by the standards of the day, with the island of Korea clearly marked and a peculiar amalgam of sources for the Far East resulting in a reduced depiction of the Indian sub-continent and the Philippines sourced from Mercator. As was common for the period, the Great Southern Land with its peninsula of the mythical land of Beach is also marked, sourced from the writings of Marco Polo.



The western hemisphere is dominated by the search for the northwest Passage. The Island of California is clearly marked and with a long panel of text announcing its position and the strong possibility of a shore line leading towards Hudson's Bay. The panel also goes on to mention the many discoveries made by the French and the English in the region, including the latter's discovery of the concept that California was an island, thus providing evidence for a Northwest Passage. This is a reference to Henry Briggs's landmark map of North America issued in 1625 with a clear declaration about the insular status of California. The panel then goes on to mention the search for the Passage by the famed explorer Sir Thomas Button in 1612-3. Needless to say, Button was unsuccessful in finding the Passage but he did make several landings on the west coast of Hudson's Bay and those records solidified English claims to large areas in this region. As was often the case at the time, there is a tentative coastline drawn above California, very sketchily, indicating the presence of a Passage and then extending further north, but the faint tone of the engraving suggests that Tavernier was decidedly unsure of its existence. The panels surrounding this hemisphere include compass directions on one set, star constellations on another set and wind directions on the final one.



Tavernier does add a little decoration to the map, with three allegorical figures on the lower cartouche representing Europe, Africa and Asia present on the eastern hemisphere and a single figure representing America next to the cartouche on the western hemisphere.



D'Avity's work proved very popular going through several issues. Tavernier's map is known in two states, with the second being issued as two separate maps with the date 1661 added to the cartouches, which seems to be the only change.



This example is of the second state but at some point in its history, the two maps were joined together.

[Shirley 349] [WLD3622]