This is the first in an occasional series drawing attention to an unusal item in a dealer's inventory.

Massimo De Martini of Altea Maps & Books has a map in his Autumn 1999 on-line catalogue a map which the majority of dealers and collectors would only glance at while flicking through a folder. DUFOUR, A.H.  République Fédérative des Etats-Unis Méxicains. Paris, Bassett, 1835. Original outline colour. 750 x 530mm. Brown mss. line pointing out Mexico City.

It is a large map of Mexico, folded down the middle, nice original outline colour, but as the colour border lines put Texas inside Mexico there appears appears to be nothing of any significance. However a closer inspection reveals an interesting line of text: "République de Fredonia formée de la Province du Texas et érigée le 16 Décembre 1826"!

This is the only map we have heard of that uses the short-lived name of Fredonia for the Republic of Texas. Considering the demand for anything concerning the Republic this should create quite a stir among collectors!

Altea's Autumn 1999 on-line catalogue, containing over 1100 items and 600 photographs, is available at http://www.antique-maps.co.uk and as a CD-ROM, priced £15 inc. p&p.