An 18th century world map in a single sphere

BUACHE, Philippe.

Planisphere Physique Où l'on voit du Pole-Septentrional ce que l'on connoît de Terres ete de Mers Avec les Grandes Chaînes de Montagnes, qui, traversant le Globe...
Paris: Dezauche, 1781. Original colour. 345 x 450mm, with very wide margins.

A map of the world on a polar azimuthal equidistant projection (i.e. distances from the North Pole are conserved, as used by the United Nations on their flag). The map details physical features such as mountain ranges, rivers and islands rather than cities and states, although south of Tropic of Capricorn the routes of explorers (including Magellan, Tasman, Halley and Queiros) are shown.
Philippe Buache, 'Premier Géographe du Roi' from 1729, believed that the mountains of the world were linked, crossing the ocean floors from continent to continent. Unfortunately he also endorsed the the supposed discoveries of Admiral de Fonte and Juan de Fuca, including a vast inland sea (the 'Mer de L'Ouest') and a North West Passage in Canada . A fine example


Stock ID : 22532