Maps > Sea Charts (64 items)
 
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ADMIRALTY. - J. & C. WALKER (engravers)

[Charleston Harbor] America East Coast Charleston Harbour from the United States Coast Survey 1858

London: published at the Admiralty, April 25th 1861. Engraved map, with some contemporary hand-colouring and annotation. Sheet size: 26 3/8 x 38 5/8 inches.

A fine detailed chart, based on information gathered by the United States Coast Survey.

An interesting example with early manuscript additions "Federal Approaches under [General] Gilmore [in 1863]," with Federal batteries and trenches marked in red, and Confederate positions marked in green. Charleston Harbor was virtually under siege by the Union from 1863 until 1865, and fell finally due to Sherman's advance from the West.

#19723$1,500.00
 
 
BELLIN, Jacques Nicolas (1703-72)

[North Pacific] Carte Réduite de L'Ocean Septentrional compris entre l'Asie et l'Amerique suivant les Decouvertes qui ont été faites par les Russes...

Paris: J. N. Bellin, 1766. Copper-engraved map, in very good condition. Sheet size: 25 1/3 x 37 1/8 inches.

A fascinating map of the North Pacific shown just before the voyages of Cook, by Bellin, the esteemed French Royal hydrographer, present here in the first state

This extremely interesting and finely engraved large map depicts the northern Pacific Ocean, and adjacent coasts during an early stage in its exploration, after the first wave of great Russian explorers but just before the momentous voyages of Captain James Cook. The map embraces a vast expanse from north of the 35th parallel, from Japan to California. The map shows the tracks of the Russian voyages of Bering and his deputy Aleksei Chirikov conducted from 1728-43 that first defined eastern Siberia and touched upon the American northwest. Save the imaginary bulge on the north coast of the Chuckchi Peninsula, the coasts of Siberia are extremely well-defined, attesting to Bering's enormous talent as a cartographer. Japan, whose rulers were known to be especially unwelcoming to foreign explorers, is not well understood, such that its large northernmost island, Hokkaido, does not appear at all on the map.

It is perhaps Bellin's depiction of North America that is most intriguing. It shows how Bering and Chirikov touched on various points of the Aleutians and sighted Mount St. Elias, the 18,000 ft. peak located near the top of the Alaska panhandle. The Pacific northwest immediately south of that point is entirely conjectural noting apocryphal discoveries such as the 'River of the King's' encountered by the Spanish Admiral de Fuente in 1640, and the Strait of Juan De Fuca, discovered in 1592. Although the latter body of water does exist, it was probably first encountered by Europeans in the 1770s. Bellin does, however, note Sir Francis Drake's actual discovery of 'Nouvelle Albion' (northern California) in 1578. The map optimistically shows a land route across the continent to the Pacific, decades before any such endeavor was embarked upon. The mapping of the heart of North America is also most curious, as it shows the Red River system, which in reality flows towards Hudson's Bay, as being connected to the Mississippi Basin. The map is elegantly traversed by rhumb lines and the composition is completed by an exquisite rococo title cartouche.

This map was part of the l'Hydrographie Française, a great sea atlas, published by Bellin in two volumes from 1755 to 1766. This was one of the finest works of the prolific Bellin, the "Hydrographer to the King", who was so highly regarded that the British (who were almost always at war with France) made him a member of their Royal Society.

Kershaw, Early Maps of Canada IV, 1125, plate 879; Wagner, Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America, 610

#19716$2,750.00
 
 
BELLIN, Jacques Nicolas (1703-72)

[St. Lucia] Carte de L'Isle de Sainte Lucie

Paris: J.N. Bellin, 1763. Copper-engraved map, in excellent condition, stamped on upper-center with the stamp of the French royal maritime printing office: "De l'Imp. de Dep. de la Mar. à Versail". Sheet size: 24 1/8 x 32 1/2 inches.

A very elegant and detailed map of St. Lucia by one of the greatest French cartographers

This very fine map of St. Lucia surrounds the island in seas traversed by rhumb lines. The rugged topography of this, one of the most scenic islands of the Caribbean, is captured in great detail. Oriented with the east towards the top of the map, the island features two broad ranges of mountains, which were formed by extreme tectonic activity. In the centre of the island is a plain that features a road, "Chemin de la Longue Chasse ou de la Soufriere" that runs the length of the island. In the lower left of the map is the "Pointe du Gros Piton", the distinctive mountain formation that cascades into the sea, and that is today St. Lucia's most celebrated site. The various aspects of the coast are labelled in great detail, and many places near the sea are dotted with the cultivated fields of sugarcane and banana plantations. Three cartographic insets adorn the upper portions of the map, each depicting one of the island's best harbours. Intended for practical use by mariners, each harbour is heavily detailed with depth soundings and notations of hazards. The insets are "Plan du Port du Carenage" (site of St. Lucia's modern capital of Castries), "Plan du Cul de Sac Des Roseaux" and "Mouilliages du Grande Islet et du Choc". The map is embellished with a very fine title cartouche, bordered by transitional Rococo and Neoclassical motifs, and surmounted by the French royal arms.

St. Lucia was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1500, and named for St. Lucy of Syracuse. The French assumed auspices over the island in 1660, having signed a treaty with the indigenous Carib tribe. Over the next century and a half, the island went back and forth fourteen times between French and British sovereignty before the British assumed an enduring hegemony in 1814. The island became an independent member of the Commonwealth in 1979.

This map was part of the l'Hydrographie Française, a great sea atlas, published by Bellin in two volumes from 1755 to 1766. This was one of the finest works of the prolific Bellin, the "Hydrographer to the King", who was so highly regarded that the British (who were almost always at war with France) made him a member of their Royal Society.

Map Collector's Circle 81, (St. Lucia) 6-9, pl.1

#19542$2,500.00
 
 
British Hydrographic Office

[Maine coast] Pemaquid Pt. to Fletchers Neck

London: Published by the Admiralty, 1866. Engraving. Printed on wove paper. In excellent condition. Two joined sheets. Image size: 37 1/2 x 39 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 38 3/4 x 40 inches.

An excellent admiralty chart of Casco Bay, Maine from Pemaquid Point to Fletcher's Neck, produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

The British Hydrographic Office was founded in 1795 by George III, who appointed Alexander Dalrymple as the first Hydrographer to the Admiralty. He immediately set to work but it was not until 1800 that the first Admiralty chart was published of the waters around Quiberon Bay in Brittany. Unlike the U. S. Coast Survey the Hydrographic Office was given permission to sell charts to the public and they produced a great number of sea charts covering every corner of the globe. Most of the Admiralty charts produced by the Hydrographic Office delineated coastline as well as high and low water marks and recorded depth of water as established by soundings. In addition these charts included information on shoals, reefs, and other navigational hazards that plagued mariners across the world. Thanks to the innovations of Sir Francis Beaufort, who developed the Beaufort Scale of wind strength, the British Hydrographic Office became one of the leading producers of sea charts.

This large chart of Casco Bay, Maine, covers the coastline from Pemaquid Point to Fletcher's Neck. Water depths and sand bars are all carefully recorded, as are the various lighthouses along the coastline, which are identified in colour. This is an important sea chart of this area and a wonderful example of the maps produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

#15995$2,500.00
 
 
British Hydrographic Office

[North Carolina coast] Albemarle Sound to Cape Fear

London: Published by the Admiralty, 1886. Engraving. Printed on wove paper. In excellent condition with the exception of some expertly mended tears along the edges of the sheet. Image size: 25 1/4 x 38 1/2 inches. Sheet size: 27 1/4 x 40 inches.

A superb admiralty chart of the North Carolina coast, produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

The British Hydrographic Office was founded in 1795 by George III, who appointed Alexander Dalrymple as the first Hydrographer to the Admiralty. He immediately set to work but it was not until 1800 that the first Admiralty chart was published of the waters around Quiberon Bay in Brittany. Unlike the U. S. Coast Survey the Hydrographic Office was given permission to sell charts to the public and they produced a great number of sea charts covering every corner of the globe. Most of the Admiralty charts produced by the Hydrographic Office delineated coastline as well as high and low water marks and record depth of water as established by soundings. In addition these charts included information on shoals, reefs, and other navigational hazards that plagued mariners across the world. Thanks to the innovations of Sir Francis Beaufort, who developed the Beaufort Scale of wind strength, the British Hydrographic Office became one of the leading producers of sea charts.

This large chart covers the Albemarle Sound to Cape Fear in North Carolina. Water depths and sand bars are all carefully recorded, as are the various lighthouses along the coastline. There are two inset maps of Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke Inlet on the left edge of the sheet, as well as three compasses to the right. This is an important sea chart of this area and a wonderful example of the maps produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

#15994$2,500.00
 
 
British Hydrographic Office

[South Carolina coast] Savannah River to Saint Helena Sound including Calibogue Sound, Port Royal and Broad River

London: Published by the Admiralty, May 1882. Engraving. Printed on wove paper. In excellent condition. Image size: 25 1/4 x 38 1/4 inches. Sheet size: 27 x 40 inches.

A fantastic Admiralty chart of the Savannah River to St. Helena Sound, produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

The British Hydrographic Office was founded in 1795 by George III, who appointed Alexander Dalrymple as the first Hydrographer to the Admiralty. He immediately set to work but it was not until 1800 that the first Admiralty chart was published of the waters around Quiberon Bay in Brittany. Unlike the U. S. Coast Survey the Hydrographic Office was given permission to sell charts to the public and they produced a great number of sea charts covering every corner of the globe. Most of the Admiralty charts produced by the Hydrographic Office delineated coastline as well as high and low water marks and record depth of water as established by soundings. In addition these charts included information on shoals, reefs, and other navigational hazards that plagued mariners across the world. Thanks to the innovations of Sir Francis Beaufort, who developed the Beaufort Scale of wind strength, the British Hydrographic Office became one of the leading producers of sea charts.

This large chart covers the Port Royal Sound including the Savannah River, the Calibogue Sound, and the Broad River. Water depths and sand bars are all carefully recorded, as are the various lighthouses along the coastline. This is an important sea chart of this area and a wonderful example of the maps produced by the British Hydrographic Office.

#15996$2,750.00
 
 
DES BARRES, J. F. W. (1721 - 1824, publisher) - Samuel HOLLAND (1728-1801) and George CALLENDAR (fl. around 1769), surveyors

[Chart of the Harbour of Boston. Composed from different Surveys; but principally from that taken in 1769, by Mr. George Callendar, Late Master of His Majesty's Ship the Romney]

London: Published by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', August 5th, 1775. Copper-engraved and etched map, with aquatint, on two joined sheets. Printed on laid paper with `J Bates' watermark and `JB' countermark, in excellent condition. Sheet size: 30 1/4 x 42 5/8 inches.

The finest and most celebrated sea chart of Boston Harbor ever produced, and a highly important Revolutionary War map depicting details relating to the Siege of Boston

This is one the most important maps contained in Des Barres' The Atlantic Neptune, and one of the most significant large-scale maps of the Revolutionary War. It provides an invaluable record of Boston at the beginning of the war, covering the area from the environs of the city out into the open waters of Massachusetts Bay. A particularly striking feature is the use of boldly etched and subtly aquatinted details to capture the diverse topography of the region, including the numerous hills, islands, and river estuaries. It is important to remember that this was issued as a working sea-chart, and as such the cartographer has naturally concentrated on features such as depth soundings, indicated by detailed lines and based on surveys by Samuel Holland and George Callendar, and the navigable channels between the harbor's numerous shoals, which are delicately outlined in stipple-engraving. Holland's original manuscript map is today preserved in the British Hydrographic Library at Taunton, Somerset. The present map shows the city of Boston, with its streets carefully outlined, occupying a pear-shaped peninsula, a position that would soon prove precarious to its British defenders in the escalating conflict.

This is the second state (of five) of Des Barres' chart, and is identical to the Henry Stevens Collection, variant 96D, in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. This state shows a number of notable changes when compared with the original, and was evidently altered to take particular account of the Siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776). Henry Stevens noted that this state depicted the addition of "Numerous Forts, Batteries, Redoubts, &c. [which] have been inserted in many places, notably on the Charles Town peninsula, and on the mainland between 'Willis Creek' and 'Mystic River,' also on the east and north side of 'Charles River' below 'Cambridge'...[also] to the south of 'Boston Neck' and 'Dorchester Neck'...[This state] is almost as rare as the first state. It is found in some copies of the earliest edition of the Neptune." The accuracy, scope and artistic virtue of Des Barres's Chart of the Harbour of Boston was apparent to his contemporaries and it became the main source map of the area for decades to come.

Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres was born in Switzerland, where his Huguenot ancestors had fled following the repeal of the Edict of Nantes. He studied under the great mathematician Daniel Bernoulli at the University of Basel, before immigrating to Britain where he trained at the Royal Military College, Woolwich. Upon the outbreak of hostilities with France in 1756, he joined the British Royal American Regiment as a military engineer. He came to the attention of General James Wolfe, who appointed him to join his personal detail. During this period he also worked with the legendary future explorer James Cook on a monumental chart of the St. Lawrence River. Upon the conclusion of the Seven Years War, Britain's empire in North America was greatly expanded, and this required the creation of a master atlas featuring new and accurate sea charts for use by the Royal Navy. Des Barres was enlisted to survey the coastlines of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. With these extremely accurate surveys in hand, Des Barres returned to London in 1774, where the Royal Navy charged him with the Herculean task of producing the atlas. He was gradually forwarded the manuscripts of numerous advanced surveys conducted by British cartographers in the American Colonies, Jamaica and Cuba, of which the present map is based on the work of Samuel Holland, conducted in the 1760s. The result was The Atlantic Neptune, which became the most celebrated sea atlas of its era, containing the first systematic survey of the east coast of North America. Des Barres's synergy of great empirical accuracy with the peerless artistic virtue of his aquatint views, created a work that "has been described as the most splendid collection of charts, plates and views ever published" (National Maritime Museum Catalogue). The Neptune eventually consisted of four volumes and Des Barres's dedication to the project was so strong that often at his own expense he continually updated and added new charts and views to various editions up until 1784, producing over 250 charts and views, many appearing in several variations. All of these charts were immensely detailed, featuring both hydrographical and topographical information, such that in many cases they remained the most authoritative maps of the regions covered for several decades. Following the completion of The Neptune, Des Barres returned to Canada, where he remained for a further forty years, becoming a senior political figure and a wealthy land owner, living to the advanced age of 103.

Cf. Guthorn,British Maps of the American Revolution, (referring to Holland's original manuscript) 59/3; Krieger & Cobb p.107 (1781 issue); Lingel, Atlantic Neptune N91.2; National Maritime Museum, Henry Stevens Collection K0713 HNS 96D; National Maritime Museum, Catalogue, 78-83; Nebenzahl Bibliography 3; Stevens, Bibliography of the Atlantic Neptune (unpublished) pp.211-216; Sellers & Van Ee, 945.

#17671$35,000.00
 
 
DES BARRES, J.F.W. (1721?-1824)

A Chart of Delawar[e] Bay with Soundings and Nautical Observations taken by Capt. Sir Andrew Snape Hammond of the Navy and others Composed and Published for The Use of Pilotage....

London: Published by J. F. W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', June 1st, 1779. Black and white copper engraving. Large repaired tear (12") from bottom edge, parallel to centerfold. 4" repaired split from bottom in centerfold. Thin, uneven margins. Plate size: 30 1/4 x 22 1/8 inches.

This is a fantastic sea chart of the Delaware coast from the 'The Atlantic Neptune' which is universally recognized as one of the most magnificent atlases ever made.

This superb sea chart, constructed for the use of the British Navy, shows the major part of the Delaware coast, from Rehobeth to Bombay Hook, as well as the opposing south New Jersey shore.

'The Atlantic Neptune' was the first great marine atlas, and one of the great achievements of eighteenth century cartography. When publication in England began in 1774, it contained over 250 charts and views of the North American and Canadian coasts. The charts were intensely detailed and contained both hydrographical and topographical details. The Neptune was compiled and published for the Royal Navy by Joseph F. W. Des Barres, a Swiss cartographer who joined the Royal American Regiment as a surveyor. Des Barres fought in the French and Indian wars and was enlisted to survey the Canadian coastline. While his fellow surveyor, Samuel Holland charted the New England coast, Des Barres mapped the shoreline of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River regions. In 1774, Des Barres returned to England where he compiled and published his monumental atlas; his dedication to the project was so strong that he published an updated version of the work every year until 1784. Des Barres' work was so superior to any other contemporary atlas that the maps were used as the standard charts of the East coast for over 50 years. The Neptune remains one of the most important atlases ever printed, its views and maps chart as aspect of the history of North America and now allow us to glimpse this land drastically changed by the passage of time.

Snyder, City of Independence, p. 271.

#20759$10,000.00
 
 
DES BARRES, J.F.W. (1721-1824)

Annapolis Royal... St. Mary's Bay

London: Published by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 1 January, 1781. Etching with added hand-colour. On laid paper with `J Bates' watermark and `JB' countermark. Sheet size: 31 3/4 x 47 inches.

A fine print from 'The Atlantic Neptune' which charts the Annapolis Royal, with a coastal view of Gulliver's Hole and a descriptive text.

'The Atlantic Neptune' was the first great marine atlas, and one of the greatest achievements of eighteenth century cartography. Published in England in 1774, it contained over 250 charts and views of the North American and Canadian coasts. The charts were intensely detailed and contained both hydrographical and topographical details. The Neptune was compiled and published for the Royal Navy by Joseph F. W. Des Barres, a Swiss cartographer who joined the Royal American Regiment as a surveyor. Des Barres fought in the French and Indian wars and was enlisted to survey the Canadian coastline. While his fellow surveyor, Samuel Holland charted the New England coast, Des Barres mapped the shoreline of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River regions. In 1774, Des Barres returned to England where he compiled and published his monumental atlas; his dedication to the project was so strong that he published an updated version of the work every year until 1784. Des Barres' work was so superior to any other contemporary atlas, that the maps were used as the standard charts of the East coast for over 50 years. The Neptune remains one of the most important atlases ever printed, its views and maps chart the history of North America and allow us to glimpse a forgotten land long changed by the passage of time.

This chart is an excellent eighteenth century record of the first settlement in Canada. In 1605, two years before the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, three years before the founding of Quebec, and fifteen years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, a small party of French explorers, led by Sieur de Monts, established Port Royal as the first settlement in Canada. The settlement was later renamed Annapolis Royal which is the name asigned to it in Des Barres chart.

Spendlove, The Face of Early Canada, Chapter 4: "J.F.W. Des Barres and The Atlantic Neptune"; pp. 18-22; Debard, "The Family Origins of Joseph Fredericks Wallet DesBarres: A Riddle Finally Solved", Nova Scotia Historical Review, Vol 14, No. 2 (1994), p.15.

#5598$3,500.00
 
 
DES BARRES, J.F.W. (1721?-1824)

[Chart of] Leith Harbour... Port Durham ... Prospect Harbour ... Bristol Bay ... Sambro Harbour [with a small inset panoramic view to the lower left corner] Hopsons Nose, bearing N.N.W. two Miles

London: Publiched by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 20 Feb 1779. Etching with roulette-work, with added touches of hand-colour, on two joined sheets. Printed on laid paper with `J Bates' watermark and `JB' countermark. Expertly repaired at old folds, two expertly repaired tears. 28 1/4 x 40 inches overall.

A fine chart of the coastline between Charlotte Bay and Halifax Bay in Nova Scotia

'The Atlantic Neptune' was the first great marine atlas, and one of the greatest achievements of eighteenth century cartography. Published in England in 1774, it contained over 250 charts and views of the North American and Canadian coasts. The charts were intensely detailed and contained both hydrographical and topographical details. The Neptune was compiled and published for the Royal Navy by Joseph F. W. Des Barres, a Swiss cartographer who joined the Royal American Regiment as a surveyor. Des Barres fought in the French and Indian wars and was enlisted to survey the Canadian coastline. While his fellow surveyor, Samuel Holland charted the New England coast, Des Barres mapped the shoreline of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River regions. In 1774, Des Barres returned to England where he compiled and published his monumental atlas; his dedication to the project was so strong that he published an updated version of the work every year until 1784. Des Barres' work was so superior to any other contemporary atlas, that the maps were used as the standard charts of the East coast for over 50 years. The Neptune remains one of the most important atlases ever printed, its views and maps chart the history of North America and allow us to glimpse a forgotten land long changed by the passage of time.

Spendlove, The Face of Early Canada, Chapter 4: "J.F.W. Des Barres and The Atlantic Neptune"; pp. 18-22; Debard, "The Family Origins of Joseph Fredericks Wallet DesBarres: A Riddle Finally Solved", Nova Scotia Historical Review, Vol 14, No. 2 (1994), p.15.

#16863$900.00
 
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