A New and Correct Map of North America, with the West India Islands. Divided According to the last Treaty of Peace, Concluded at Paris, the 20th of Jan. 1783. wherein are particularly Distinguished, The Thirteen Provinces wich (sic) Compose the United States of North America. Engraved and Published by Mathew Albert and George Frederic Lotter

Augsburg, 1784. A beautiful example of the newly-formed United States, coming to the close of the Revolutionary War. The four large sheets in original outline color make a powerful statement about the prospects of the United States at the time.

Geographical features are prominent, including rivers, lakes, mountains & place names, locations of indigenous tribes, expedition routes & discoveries, beaver hunting lands, forts and the dates they were established, unknown tracts of land & nonexistent islands in Lake Superior. The inset of California is particularly interesting - the caption reads "The passage by land to California discover'd by Father Eusebius Francis Kino a Jesuit; between the years 1698 and 1701, before which, and for a considerable time since California has always been described in all charts & maps as an Island." The inset of Baffin & Hudson's Bay in northern Canada & the Arctic show the paucity of information on the area to that date. The search for the Northwest Passage in the first half of the 19th century would add to this cartographic information, if disappointingly, not to a passage. The West Indies are prominent, and trade routes from Vera Cruz (Mexico) to Havana & Havana to Cartagena are shown, as well as the Windward Passage.

The handsome cartouche beneath the title shows a prosperous harbor view centered on three wealthy gentlemen, one seated in front of his well-stocked warehouse and being served a glass of wine by a slave. The ships sit in the background while other slaves work to load barrels.

Lotter's map is a pirated German edition of Pownall's map, originally published by Bowen & Gibson, and later by Jefferys and Sayer & Bennett. Original outline color, in excellent condition. Some editions of this map include the date 1784 under the title. This copy is not dated. Engraved area of each sheet is 22.5 x 19.75", which if joined would measure 40 x 45". A very strong impression.