A very decorative double hemisphere world map by Jean Baptiste Nolin (jr.) first issued ca 1755 and continuously thereafter into the early 19th century. The map was updated by Louis Denis ca 1782 to show the latest discoveries of explorers in the second half of the 18th century. Denis’ revisions on this state of the map included the addition of the north and south islands of New Zealand, the filling in of Australia’s coastline (showing it as an island) and routes taken by explorers of the period including the 1772-73 voyage of Captain Cook in his ship the Resolution. However, the “Mer de l’Ouest”, a large bay on the west coast of North America, continues to inaccurately appear. The four corners of the map show allegorical representations of the Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas, including naïve illustrations of native animals, and a brief description of each continent in French. The bottom centre of the map is decorated with a large armillary sphere and the sides are filled with 10 astronomical diagrams, four of which describe competing theories of the solar system, comprising those of Ptolemy, Brahe, Descartes and Copernicus. Blank verso. Other than some light staining off the east coast of South America, the map is in excellent condition 47.5 cm x 63 cm