New England the most remarqueable parts thus named by the high and mighty Prince Charles, Prince of great Britaine. Observed and described by Captayn John Smith

From The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England and the Summer Isles

John Smith (1580-1631) Printed: London 1626

Burden’s State 5 (of 9), with the line engraving on the armor, Paynes island named, and the engraver’s name spelled “ Passaeus”, copper engraving London 1616 (1626), Paper size: 13 1/2 x 14 7/8”. Condition very good with wide margins and strong imprint. A few weak folds expertly mended. Watermark of mail coat and crown.

The foundation map of New England cartography The map that gave it its name and the first devoted map to the region. It covers the area from the present Penobscot Bay in Maine to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The compass card shows orientation to the N. The scale of leagues, as in Smith,s earlier map of Virginia, shows 20 leagues or 60 miles to the degree of latitude (see the markings on the right and left margins). The latitude of the various geographical features themselves are notably accurate, generally; e.g., modern charts show such sample readings as these: Aborden (upper right), identified with Penobscot village, modern Castine, 44 degrees 25 minutes N latitude; Smith’s lies, modern Isles of Sholes just below 43 degrees.

Smith was far from the first to explore this region. Champlain certainly explored areas covered by Smith’s map; for example, he named modern Ille du Haut, which may appear in Smith’s map as a mountain/island tho the east of Penobscot Bay. Nor was Smith,s map the first to be made. Smith himself said he consulted other maps, although he disparaged their usefulness: “I have had six or seaven severall plots of those Northeren parts, so unlike to each other, and most so differing from any true proportion, or resemblance of the Countrey, as they did mee no more good, then so much waste paper ,though they cost me more. It may be it was not by chance to see the best; but least others may be deceived as I was, or through dangerous ignorance hazard themselves as I did, I have drawen a map from Point to Point, Ile to Ile, and Harbour to Harbour, with Soundings, Sands, Rocks and Land-marks as I passed close aboard the Shore in a little Boat…” So far Smith’s own words of the making of this map.

Smith’s portrait in the New England map was at least two times re-engraved, showing him here in this map in the presumed second state of his likeness.

Reference: Burden 187

US$ 165,000.00