First edition, first issue of this important atlas of New Spain, with the first three livraisons with the earliest known title-page, dated 1808. The present work was the third part of Humboldt’s monumental ‘Voyage aux regions equinoxiales du Nouveau Continent fait en 1799-1804’, published at Paris (1805-1834) in over thirty volumes with about 1,200 engraved plates (and even then, the work still was not complete).
With Humboldt’s iconic map of New Spain, ‘Carte Generale du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne’, originally executed by Humboldt during his stay in Mexico in 1803-4, and covering two large folio double sheets. Wheat calls it a “truly magnificent cartographic achievement” and concludes that before the explorations of Lewis and Clark, Humboldt’s maps were in the first rank of western cartography.
Schwartz and Ehrenberg state that it remained “the standard map of the Great Basin region until Fremont’s explorations 35 years later”. Thomas Streeter discusses the map at great length, concluding that “it is without question the best representation of Texas that had thus far appeared”. It is certainly one of the seminal maps for Texas and the Southwest.
Besides the large map, there is a double-sheet map of the whole North American continent south of 42° latitude which reiterates Humboldt’s western cartography on a larger scale, and three important maps for the Santa Fe trade illustrating the route from Mexico to Durango, Durango to Chihuahua, and Chihuahua to Santa Fe.
Other maps illustrate the Valley of Mexico, and ports and routes in Mexico and across the Isthmus. The Atlas concludes with a series of fine geological/physical profiles (most printed in sepia), and two excellent views of volcanoes, also in sepia.
Humboldt was described by Dibdin as the most illustrious traveller of his day. With the support of the Spanish Prime Minister, Humboldt managed to gain permission to enter the Spanish colonies of Central and South America, which were effectively closed at the time. He set off with the French botanist Bonpland from Marseilles in 1799, and spent five years travelling through Central and South America, during which time he covered some 6000 miles. He then returned to Europe and spent the next twenty-three years recording his experiences, observations and collections in a series of spectacular works. One of the first of these was the ‘Essai Politique...’, describing northern New Spain, particularly Mexico and the northern provinces, including California and the American Southwest. A most important work, here in its first published edition with the extraordinary addition of a presentation inscription in Humboldt’s hand

Plate List:

Plate 1 & 1 bis (one map on two folded sheets), 1000 by 695mm (if joined).

1. ‘Carte Generale du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne depuis le Parallele de 16 jusqu’au Parallele de 38…’, 480 by 695mm. Top half of map of New Spain, showing all or parts of present-day Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Louisiana, Wyoming, Kansas, Utah, and California. At the far northwest is Escalante’s “Lac de Timpanogos.” The map extends south to the mouth of the Colorado River and the upper reaches of the Sea of Cortez, Casas Grandes, Presidio del Norte, and “Pr Nacogdoch.” Rumsey 328.001.

1.(bis) ‘Dessine a Mexico par l’Auteur en 1804…’, 520 x 695mm. Lower half of the map of New Spain, with the northernmost points at Mission San Francisco Borja in Baja California, San Antonio, Galveston Bay, and Mermento River in southern Louisiana. Far south are Chiapas and the Gulf of Tehuantepec. Rumsey 328.002.

Cohen, Mapping the West, pp. 101-102. Hayes, Historical Atlas of the American West, p. 47: “One of the finest maps of the Spanish Southwest... Humboldt’s 1804 manuscript map seems to be one of the first to use the modern spelling of Albuquerque (leaving out the first r.); the spelling is repeated on this map.” Jackson, Shooting the Sun #64, Chapter 11 & p. 380. Martin & Martin (p. 109 & Plate 23) cite the English edition in reduced format; see also Martin & Martin, Contours of Discovery pp. 42-43. Rumsey 328.003 (both sheets). Rumsey, Cartographica Extraordinaire, pp. 20 & 133. Streeter 1042 (dates the map 1809, and designates it as one of the six most desirable maps of Texas, noting in his introduction that it is “the best to that date for the Texas region”). Wheat, Mapping the Transmississippi West 272* & 302*; Vol. I, pp. 132-138: “Undoubtedly the most important and most accurate published map that had yet appeared.... A truly magnificent cartographic achievement.” The publication sequence of the original seven fascicules indicates the map appeared in the fourth fascicule which came from the press on November 13, 1809.

Plate 2 (one map on folded sheet)

2. ‘Carte du Mexique et des Pays Limitrophes Situes au Nord et a l’Est dressee d’apres la grand carte de la Nouvelle-Espagne de Mr. A. de Humboldt et d’autres Materiaux par J.B. Poirson. 1811’, 425 by 727mm. Mexico, present-day United States, and the Caribbean south to Jamaica and Santo Domingo.
Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, El Territorio Mexicano, Vol. I, p. 162 & Vol. II, p. 175. Jackson, Shooting the Sun #65. Rumsey 328.004. Streeter 1042n. Wheat, Mapping the Transmississippi West 275*, 302*, & Vol. I, pp. 133 & 137: “[Humboldt] decided [his map of New Spain] would require too large a sheet...so he left those areas for an overall map to be engraved for him by J.B. Poirson in Paris.... This was an important map, for while it did not itself add to knowledge of the American West, it did put into the hands of the reading public the broad geographical relationship of the American Southwest with the dominions lying to the east.”

Plate 3 (one map on folded sheet)

3. ‘Carte de la Vallee de Mexico et des Montagnes Voisines esquissee sur les Lieux en 1804…’, 390 by 460mm. Map of the Valley of Mexico including cities, villages, haciendas, and astronomical observatory points.

Apenes, Mapas Antiguos del Valle de Mexico #30 & pp. 26-27: “La Carte de la Vallee siguio por mas de medio siglo siendo el prototipo de los mapas del Valle de Mexico.” Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, El Territorio Mexicano, Vol. II, p. 322. Rumsey 328.005.

Plate 4 (eight maps on a half sheet)

4. ‘Points de partage et Communications projettees entre le Grand Ocean et l’Ocean Atlantique. I. Riviere de la Paix et Tacoutche Tesse. II. Rio del Norte et Rio Colorado. III. Rio Huallaga et Rio Huanuco. IV. Golfe de S. Georges et Estero de Aysen. V. Rio de Huasacualco et Rio de Chimalapa. VI. Lac de Nicaragua. VII. Isthme de Panama. VIII. Ravin de la Raspadura et Embarcadero de Naipi’, 500 by 345mm. Eight maps showing possible communication points and passage ways from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Areas represented are in North, Central, and South America, stretching from Vancouver to Terra del Fuego. The largest map is entitled: ‘Carte de l’Isthme de Huasacualco’.
Rumsey 328.006. Map 2 shows West Texas and New Mexico from Paso del Norte north to the headwaters of the Colorado River.
Humboldt re-kindled the idea of an interoceanic canal or various water routes between the Atlantic and Pacific.

Plate 5 (one map on a half sheet)

5. ‘Carte Reduite de la Route d’Acapulco a Mexico…’, 395 by 192mm. Map showing the route from Acapulco to Mexico City. The map includes cities, towns, villages, mines, farms, and astronomical observatory points. Rumsey 328.007.

Plates 6, 7 & 8 (three maps on folded sheet, image area 493 by 430mm)

[General title for the three maps] ‘Carte de la Route qui mene depuis la Capitale de la Nouvelle Espagne jusqu’a S. Fe du Nouveau Mexique.

6. ‘Route de Mexico a Durango’, 350 by 130mm.
7. ‘Route de Durango a Chihuahua’, 255 by 126mm.
8. ‘Route de Chihuahua a Santa Fe’, 425 by 127mm.

Three separate maps show the route from Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mines, ranchos, haciendas, villages and towns are shown.
Rumsey 328.008. Wheat, Mapping the Transmississippi West 274* & 304*, Vol. I, p. 137: “Among Humboldt’s other maps of interest here may be mentioned that of the route from Mexico City to Santa Fe, taken in part from Humboldt’s own astronomical observations.”

9. ‘Carte reduite de la Partie orientale de la Nouvelle Espagne depuis le Plateau de la Ville de Mexico jusqu’au Port de la Veracruz…’, 215 by 625mm.

Road between Mexico City and Veracruz showing eastern Mexico. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, El Territorio Mexicano, Vol. II, p. 670. Rumsey 328.009.

10. ‘Carte de Fausses Positions de Mexico, Acapulco, Veracruz et du Pic d’Orizaba…’, 190 by 316mm.

This map shows the incorrect positions ascribed to Mexico City, Acapulco, Veracruz, and Orizaba over time, and by whom.
Rumsey 328.010. Rumsey, ‘Cartographica Extraordinaire’, pp. 21 & 133.

11. ‘Plan du Port de Veracruz, Dresse par Don Bernardo de Orta, Capitaine de Vaisseau au service de Sa Majeste Catholique…’, 218 by 287mm.

A detailed plan of the port of Veracruz with soundings and an inset view of the coast at top left.
Rumsey 328.011.

12. ‘Tableau physique de la pente Orientale du Plateau de la Nouvelle Espagne, (Chemin de Mexico a Veracruz par Puebla et Xalapa.)…’, 370 by 827mm.

Original charcoal coloring. Presented is a cross section depicting the elevations from Mexico City to Veracruz. Geologic information is included. This profile and Plate 13 following, together present a profile of Mexico. Ulrike Leitner in his essay on Humboldt’s works on Mexico states: “The historian of geography and Humboldt scholar Hanno Beck has often emphasized that Humboldt, probably influenced by his work as a miner, made the profile map, originally a view into the mine from the side, into a scientific instrument. Part of this is the marvelous profile of the Mexican highland-’the first profile ever to be done of an entire country.’”

Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, El Territorio Mexicano, Vol. II, p. 669. Rumsey 328.012.

13. ‘Tableau physique de la pente Occidental du Plateau de la Nouvelle Espagne (Chemin de Mexico a Acapulco)…’, 365 by 792mm.

Original charcoal coloring. Cross section depicting the elevations from Acapulco to Mexico City. Geologic information is included. This profile and Plate 12 preceding taken together are the first profile ever made of an entire country. See Leitner’s note in Plate 13, preceding.
Rumsey 328.013.

14. ‘Tableau du Plateau central des Montagnes du Mexique…’, 360 by 815mm.

Original charcoal coloring. Illustrated here is a cross section depicting the central plateau with elevations from approximately Mexico City to Guanajuato. Geologic information is included. Rumsey 328.014. 15. ‘Profil du Canal de Huehuetoca (Desague Real.)…’, 350 by 523mm. Original gray, tan, and sepaicoloring. This profile and cross section depict Huehuetoca Canal and the drainage system of the Valley of Mexico. Geologic information is included.
Rumsey 328.015.

16. ‘Volcans de la Puebla, vus depuis la Ville de Mexico…’, 110 by 262mm.

Original tan and brown coloring with white highlights. Handsome view of the volcanoes from Mexico City.
Rumsey 328.016.

17. ‘Pic d’Orizaba vu depuis la Foret de Xalapa…’, 159 by 178mm.

Original tan and brown coloring with white highlights. Dramatic view of Orizaba. Original tissue guard present.
Rumsey 328.017

18. ‘Plan du Port d’Acapulco…’, 172 by 185mm. Plan of the port of Acapulco with soundings shown.
Rumsey 328.018.

19. ‘Carte des diverses Routes par lesquelles les richesses metalliques refluent d’un Continent a l’autre…’, 485 by 322mm.

World map showing trade routes and four charts detailing the amount and monetary worth of gold taken from the mines of Mexico and South America. Date estimated as the last information on the gold production is from 1802.
Rumsey 328.019.

20. ‘I. Tableau comparatif de l’etendue territoriale des Intendances de la Nouvelle-Espagne. II. Etendue territoriale et Population des Metropoles et des Colonies en 1804’, 512 by 335mm.

Two charts showing relative size of the Mexican territories and population figures in the colonies as of 1804. Texas is indicated as the fourth largest region. An ingenious and unusual format for presenting comparative matter.
Rumsey 328.020.

Collation of livraison:

1. Original printed paper wrapper, wood-engraved border: ‘Atlas Geographique et Physique du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne, fonde sur des Observations Astronomiques, des Mesures Trigonometriques et des nivellemens Barometriques; Par Al. de Humboldt. Premiere Livraison, Contenant les Nos. 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17. Paris Chez Fr. Schoell, rue des Fosse-S.- Germain-L’Auxerrois, No. 29; et a Tubingue, chez J.G. Cotta, Libraire, 1808’

Front wrapper inscribed “de la part de l’auteur”
- Letterpress half-title dated 1808 conjoined with contents leaf (‘Cartes Geographiques et Physiques continues dans l’Atlas Mexicain’, listing 20 maps) - single page engraved dedication leaf to Bonpland

2. Original printed paper wrapper, wood-engraved border: ‘Atlas Geographique et Physique du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne, fonde sur des Observations Astronomiques, des Mesures Trigonometriques et des nivellemens Barometriques; Par Al. de Humboldt. Deuxieme Livraison, Contenant les Nos. 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 18. Paris Chez Fr. Schoell, rue des FosseSt.- Germain-L’Auxerrois, No. 29; et a Tubingue, chez J.G. Cotta, Libraire, se trouve aussi a Paris, chez Tourneisen fils, rue de Seine, No. 12; et a Strasbourg, chez F.G. Levrault, 1808’

3. Original printed paper wrapper, wood-engraved border: ‘Atlas Geographique et Physique du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne, fonde sur des Observations Astronomiques, des Mesures Trigonometriques et des nivellemens Barometriques; Par Al. de Humboldt. Troisieme Livraison, Contenant les Nos. 3 et 15. Paris Chez Fr. Schoell, rue des Fosse-St.- Germain-L’Auxerrois, No. 29; et a Tubingue, chez J.G. Cotta, Libraire, se trouve aussi a Paris, chez G. Dufour et C.e, rue des Mathurins, No. 7; et a Strasbourg, chez F.G. Levrault. 1809’

4-5. Half-title conjoined with title-page ‘Atlas Geographique et Physique e Royaume de la Nouvelle-Espagne, fonde sur des Observations Astronomiques, des Mesures Trigonometriques et des nivellemens Barometriques. Par Al. de Humboldt. Paris, Chez G. Dufour et C.e, rue des Mathurins, No. 7, 1812’