Cartography

Van Dieman’s Land – Cartographer John Dower – 1836

An original map of Tasmania or Van-Diemans Land, drawn and engraved by John Dower published in London in the 1830’s. Note the misspelling “Dieman’s”. This is a very early version of the Dower map published by Orr & Smith of Paternoster Row, London. Engraved area 26cm by 21cm. Very good condition, clean and bright colouring. Refer Tooley Printed Maps of Tasmania number 196.

This map was first published in 1831. In this updated version Lake St Clair is added. And bottom left the following note … Population 31,718; Capitol(sic) Hobart Town; The estimated average importation of Convicts into Van Dieman’s Land is 1,709 per Annum.

Much of the terrain to the west half remains unexplored. A number of interesting features can be found in the detail. Above the “rocky and barren shore” below Rocky Point in the west we see “White topped mountains apparently granite”, north of which are “Higher and less barren hills”. Travelling north from Hobart Town are a string of pubs … The Stokell Inn, Crown Inn, Swan Inn, Ransome Inn, Lovely Bank Inn, New Inn, Sorrell Spring Inn, Stockers In and on to Launceston. Whilst known high ground is shown with hachures certain peaks are estimated … Ben Lomond 4,200 feet, Peak of Teneriffe 4,500 feet, interestingly not Mt Wellington.

John Dower (1791-1847) was a quality map maker, print seller and publisher based in London. He worked with many prominent map makers of the time including Weller, Cassell, Bacon and Petermann.

Price $190.00 unframed

Earlier scarce Dower Map of Tasmania c1836

$190.00

Updating cart…

The Seamans Secrets (1633) – John Davis – Fine Facsimile from John Carter Brown University – 1992

Published by Scholars’ Facsimiles & Reprints, New York 1992. Reproduced from a n original in The John Carter Brown Library at Brown University. Hard to come by.

Longer title … “The Seamans secrets. Divided into two parts, wherein is taught the three kindes of sayling, horizontall, paradoxall, and sayling upon a great circle. Also an horizontall tyde-table for the easie finding of the ebbing and flowing of the tydes, with a regiment newly calculated for the finding of the declination of the sunne, and many other most necessary rules and instruments, not heretofore set forth by any. Newly corrected and amended, and the fifth time imprinted.”

Octavo, very good condition with no jacket as published. Facsimile reprint with a very good historical introduction by A.N. Ryan. Illustrated, one folding at rear, and with tables and charts. Original unpaginated but runs to circa 110 pages … here after 26 page introduction and further reading list, references etc.

John Davis (1550? – 1605) published the first edition of this book in 1595. He made three voyages in search of the North West Passage. He was associated with Sir Humphrey and Adrian Gilbert promoters of English colonisation in North America. Through the Gilbert’s he knew Walter Raleigh and the famous mathematician and cosmographer Dr John Dee.

Nice reproduction of important early maritime navigation book.

$50.00

Updating cart…

Discovery – The Quest for the Great South Land – Estensen

Miriam Estensen’s very readable book about the hunt for land in the Southern Hemisphere.

Published by Allen & Unwin in 1998. Octavo, 286 pages including and index and extensive bibliography. Nicely illustrated very good condition.

Estensen employs a much wider and very much earlier time frame for this work. Despite this we have the Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese activities before the French and the English … and a good balance is achieved regarding the relevance of all.

The Quest well researched nicely written

$20.00

Updating cart…

Map of the World – Cartographer De l’Ilse – Engraved and Published by Chatelain – c1730

An original copper engraved map of the world in two hemispheres by Gullaume De L’Isle published in Amsterdam by Chatelain.

The full title to the map is … “Mappe Monde ou description Generale du Globe Terrestre suivant M. De L’Isle de l’Academie Royale des Sciences”.

A curious map reflecting the unknown and the incorrect at the time. Nothing understood about the North West Coast of America although a land mass. to the east, is identified but not named … this is the fictitious “Campany’s Land”. The Dutch understanding of Australia (Nouvelle Holland)is shown with its limitations but without the south coast of Tasmania, noting also the mountain ranges shown in the North West. A most unusual map with some interesting features.

Gullaume De l’Isle (1675-1726) was a leading French cartographer of his period, following Sanson. His father was involved in geography and education although Gullaume was independent and bright at an early age. He was mentored by the great Astronomer Cassini. He became a member of the Acadamie Royale de Sciences and was appointed by Louis XIV to teach geography to the Dauphin. Like most cartographer his maps continued to be published well after his death. His intellectual property was eventually taken over by cartographer Bauche.

Henri Abraham Chatelain (1684-1743) was a Huguenot who lived variously in Paris, London the Hague and Amsterdam. He was the main mover in a family of engravers and publishers, and produced the Atlas Historic which included maps after De l’Isle of which this delightful World Map is an example.

Price $260.00 unframed or $390.00 framed in Voyager rare map style … enquire if you wish it framed or need to discuss framing options.

Intriguing world map with lots of curiosity.

$260.00

Updating cart…

Willem de Vlamingh’s Explorations of Australia, 1696-1697 – Willem C.H. Robert

Published by Philo Press, Amsterdam a first edition 1972.

Large octavo, 206 pages with fold-out map at rear and nautical charts, illustrated. Very good near fine condition.

A special and hard to get account of Vlamingh’s explorations of the coastline of Western Australia.

They left a pewter dish on Dirk Hartog Island and the journals and maps in the Dutch archive which form the basis of this scholarly work.

In Old Dutch and English translated with care of the then meaning.

Four excellent fold out charts assist the reader.

A special reference hard to find and fine condition

$80.00

Updating cart…

Map of the Middle East – Isaak Tirion – 1732

An original copper engraved map by Dutch cartographer Isaak Tirion (1705-1765) of the broader Middle East. Published in Amsterdam and dated in the plate 1732.

Very good original condition with centrefold as issued. Relief shown for all mountainous regions. Incredible detail throughout with many historical references. An extensive map taking in the whole of the area between the Red Sea, The Gulf, The Black Sea and the Caspian.

34cm by 26cm with borders to top and bottom, narrow at the sides. A good very clean example of a rare and detailed map.

Tirion produced several Atlases and Dutch town plans. Some suggest that his maps were based on those of Guillaume de L’isle although we see them as being much more detailed than de L’ísle’s standard.

Price $120.00 unframed

One of the best 18th Century Maps of the Region

$120.00

Updating cart…

Van Dieman’s Land – Cartographer John Dower – 1836

The Seamans Secrets (1633) – John Davis – Fine Facsimile from John Carter Brown University – 1992

Discovery – The Quest for the Great South Land – Estensen

Map of the World – Cartographer De l’Ilse – Engraved and Published by Chatelain – c1730

Willem de Vlamingh’s Explorations of Australia, 1696-1697 – Willem C.H. Robert

Map of the Middle East – Isaak Tirion – 1732

Product Categories