ANTIQUE MAP OF RUSSIA and NEWLY EXPLORED ALASKA TERRITORY Engraved by P. Tardieu c.1805
EARLY MAP OF RUSSIA including the mostly UNEXPLORED Lands of "PARTIE NORD-OUEST DE L'AMÉRIQUE" (ALASKA), MER GLACIEALE (ARCTIC OCEAN), and part of 'TATARIE CHINOISE" (the Chinese Territories). Most interesting is that the map shows various recent exploratory discoveries along the coastline of Alaska by Russia and various European powers of the day, including some by Captain James Cook during his exploration of the Alaska territory from May to October 1778 during his third and final voyage. Look closely in the "Nord-Ouest de l'Amerique" area of the map and you will find his printed name, Mr. Cook,
by one of his Alaskan discoveries.
Published c.1805.
A finely detailed map, 30x15.5 inches, printed on heavy-stock laid paper. On the border below the map's image is "Gravé par P. Tardieu" and "Dessiné par Clermont", indicating the map was likely engraved c.1805. On the border above the map is "Tome IV" and "Pt. I", indicating the map was likely disbound from an early French atlas.
FAIR condition. The map folds open and has the expected horizontal and vertical folds, the margins are toned and foxed, the map itself is also toned and foxed but less so, the left margin is worn and chipped from being disbound, there are a few closed tears; nonetheless the map is solid and quite rare.
About P. TARDIEU and JACQUES CLERMONT (excerpted from Wikipedia and other Internet sites):
Pierre Antoine Tardieu, b.1784 d.1869, known as P. Tardieu, was a French map engraver and geographer. The Tardieu family, based in Paris, was well known for their talent in engraving and cartography. Pierre Antoine's father, Pierre Antoine-Francois Tardieu, b.1757 d.1822, was an established cartographer who published numerous atlases. His son collaborated with him for many years before establishing his own independent career. (This map likely comes from one of these important French atlases.)
Jacques Clermont, b.1752 d.1827, was a French cartographer active in the late 18th and early 19th century. He was celebrated for his highly detailed copperplate maps. He is best known for producing historical maps, including world maps that documented unexplored lands and routes of explorers (such as Captain Cook).