Rizzi Zannoni, "Carte de la Partie Septentrionale de lEmpire Otoman / Dediee a Monseigneur Le Compte de Vergennes...", Paris 1774. Impressive wall copper engraved map 156x74cm, folded, on contemporary linen. Engraved by Perrier et Bourgoin. One of the most important, influential and rare map of the second part of the 18th century for all Southeastern Europe. The famous Rigas Velestinlis map was based on that map for the northeastern part of the Charta. Separately printed in only 3, very big copper plates (74x53 each), a technological achievement for its time. Rizzi Zannoni, an Italian cartographer was in the service of France since 1759. He was the chief of the cartographic service of the French ministry of Foreign affairs in early 1770s. As the Russians advance, during the 1768-74 war with the Ottomans, the French realize the absence of an accurate map of the war events area, from Macedonia to Caucasus, comprising the broad Black Sea area. By order and loan of the King in 1772 and after two years of work based on all the official manuscript military maps and reports, Rizzi Zannoni managed to finish the copper plates in 1774 and dedicated the map to the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, Zannoni faced vast economical difficulties, as the operation proved very expensive and he was finally not able to pay the engravers or even buy the necessary paper to print. After one year of failing negotiations in order receive more funds, Zannoni escaped his creditors and left for Italy. The French government confiscated the copper plates and printed only 312 copies for official use (J.Konvitz, Cartography in France, 1987). Consequently, the map was very rare even at the time of its production (Schropp). Creased throughout, some water-stain. Extremely Rare. Not in Zacharakis.