La Flordia Antique Map First Printed Map of Florida Peninsula including Texas Louisiana Alabama Mexico Ortelius 1584: from "Theatrum orbis terrarum" 1584 Hand-Colored

La Florida Antiquarian/Antique Hand-Colored Map displaying Southeast North America, what is now the South-Eastern United States with parts of what are now the states of Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Mexico. Map 6 x 9 inches on rag paper (aka laid paper) sheet 8.25 x 10.3 inches. This map is regarded as the first printed map to feature the Florida peninsula when the territory was owned by the Spanish Empire areas of the New World. It first appeared in the 1584 edition of "Theatrum orbis terrarum". (The first edition of "Theatrum" was 1570 but did not include this map.)
This engraved map is based on a drawing by Geronimo de Chiaves (1523-1574), the royal cosmographer and cartographer to Philip II, king of Spain. and appeared in 'Theatrum orbis terrarum' published by Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) in 1584. 'Cum Privilegio' in decorative cartouche on upper right.
This map is probably based on accounts by members of the Hernando de Soto expedition (1539-1543) and is considered the first published map of Florida because the Le Moyne map of Florida was drawn in 1564 but not published until 1591 by De Bry. Cumming, W. P., The Southeast in Early Maps,
"One of the half-dozen most important mother maps of southeastern North America. This map probably had more influence than any other map in establishing the subsequent conception of Florida as including that part of the present U.S. from the peninsula of Florida northward to about 40° north latitude and westward to or beyond the Mississippi." Ralph E. Ehrenberg, in an online article "'Marvellous Countries and Lands,' Notable Maps of Florida, 1507-1846' discusses the map: 'The Chaves-Ortelius map is an historical document of major significance. It provided Europeans with their first detailed but distorted image of the present southeastern interior of the United States. The lower course of the Mississippi and the Mobile-Tombigbee Rivers are clearly discernable for the first time on a printed map.'
Near Fine hand-colored copy. Very clean presentable example with NO tears or chips. Very mild age-toning, a few small foxing spots here and there but minimal. An exceptional example.

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