The extremely rare first state of Nolin’s beautiful separately published map of South America. The renowned Italian cartographer Vincenzo Maria Coronelli (1650‐1718) “had returned to Venice in 1685 following the completion of his commission to build enormous 490 centimetre-diameter globes presented to Louis XIV in 1683. The engraved version of the celestial globe was only begun in August 1686 following the signing of the contract between Coronelli and Jean Baptiste Nolin (1657‐1708) … it was not until 4 January 1687 that Coronelli received his privilege, which he duly transferred to Nolin a few days later.” (Burden).

Nolin followed his father as an engraver and had set up a publishing business in Rue St Jacques in Paris by 1685. It was his meeting with Coronelli that encouraged him into the world of cartography. Nolin produced a handful of separately published maps of the Americas in the next couple of years. In 1689 this map and a matching one of North America were issued. The advanced cartography included was published before those by Coronelli himself.

The map is divided into the recognised regions for the day. The depiction of the Amazon River basin is reminiscent of Jaillot’s map of 1681. The Rio de la Plata basin is illustrated in detail. The track of Jacob le Maire 1615-17 is recorded from the southern tip of the continent across the Pacific Ocean. Tierra del Fuego is shown with in incomplete southern coastline. The whole bears numerous legends and two ornate cartouches in the lower corners. As with other maps published by Nolin recognition of some of the material is given to Jean Nicolas du Tralage, Sieur Tillemon, although not until the second state. There is also an alteration to the address in the imprint to include the Pont Neuf. The first state is extremely rare. Provenance: Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Burden (1996-2007) nos. 630 & 656; Pastoureau (1984) p. 357; Shirley (2004) T.Nol-2a vol. 2 no. 50; Tooley Dictionary (1999-2004).