Sea Charts from Donald Heald Rare Books

Boston: Matthew Clark, 1790. Engraved map on two folding sheets joined, irregularly shaped as issued, sheet size approximately 23 3/4 x 33 1/2 inches. Expert restoration at the folds. Chart numbers 5 and 6. Printed cartographic Americana of the greatest rarity, a map of the Maine and Cape Cod coasts from the first American-made atlas: "The first totally American… Read more about this item

London: J. F. W. Des Barres, 1776. Engraved with color wash and outline color. Sheet: 31 x 42 1/4 inches. Expert restoration, primarily at the upper margin. Two sheets joined, both watermarked "J.Bates" and countermarked "JB". Fourth state of five. Among the earliest charts published by Des Barres were those relevant to the crisis in New England, as the… Read more about this item

London: J. F. W. Des Barres for 'The Atlantic Neptune', 1781. Etched with aquatint and stippling. Some outline color. Platemark: 29 1/4 x 21 3/8 inches; sheet: 32 3/4 x 24 3/4 inches. Laid paper watermarked "J. Bates" with counter mark "J.B." A meticulous survey of a portion of the eastern coast of New Brunswick on the Northumberland Straits… Read more about this item

[London: Published by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 1781. Etching with aquatint. Printed on laid paper with `J. Bates' watermark and `JB' countermark. Skillful marginal restoration in several places. One of the most desirable, large-scale views from the 'The Atlantic Neptune,' the first British sea atlas of her North American colonies. In this fine scene Des… Read more about this item

London, 1781. Engraved chart, the town and border hand-coloured as issued. Minor repaired edge tears. Sheet Size: 22 5/8 x 32 1/2 inches. An important 18th century chart of Louisbourg harbour. Des Barres, of Swiss-Huguenot extraction, studied under the great mathematician Daniel Bernoulli at the University of Basel, before continuing on to the Royal Military College at Woolwich.… Read more about this item

[London: J. F. W. Des Barres, 1781. Engraved with aquatint, on single double-page sheet watermarked "J. Bates." Excellent condition with minor repairs along centerfold. Detailed depiction of the mouth of the Miramachi River in New Brunswick and Miramachi Bay in the Gulf of St. Larwence. Des Barres, of Swiss-Huguenot extraction, studied under the great mathematician Daniel Bernoulli at… Read more about this item

[London: British Admiralty for 'The Atlantic Neptune'], 1779. Etching with roulette work, original outline color on laid paper watermarked "JBates" and countermarked "JB" This excellent example of Des Barres' craftsmanship details a portion of the strait between New Brunswick and what is now Prince Edward Island (then St. John's Island). It includes on the New Brunswick side: Shediac, Cocagne… Read more about this item

London: J. F. W. Des Barres for The Atlantic Neptune, 1776. Large engraved chart from Des Barres' Atlantic Neptune on two sheets of laid paper, joined, each bearing "J Bates" watermark. 43x31 inches sheet size, nice margins; contemporary hand-color in outline; slightest offsetting, a superior copy. State 4 of 7. Fine chart depicting the waters between New Bedford and… Read more about this item

London: Jefferys & Faden, 1776. Copper-engraved sea chart, in excellent condition, on a full untrimmed sheet. A very rare and highly detailed sea chart, the most important map of South Carolina's Port Royal Sound and Hilton Head made in the early days of the Revolutionary War, in the first state. This very finely engraved and immensely detailed chart… Read more about this item

London: Published by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 1779. Sea chart, etched with roulette-work, with original colour, with aquatint view. Printed on laid paper with 'J Bates' watermark and 'JB' countermark. A very fine sea chart and view of Egmont, now called Jeddore Harbour, from 'The Atlantic Neptune,' the first British sea atlas of her North American… Read more about this item

London: Published by J.F.W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 1781. Etching with added hand-colour. On laid paper with 'J Bates' watermark and 'JB' countermark. 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… Read more about this item

[London, 1780. Aquatint and line engraving, period hand colouring. Very rare first state of Des Barres's chart of the coast of Georgia. This fine chart is from "The Atlantic Neptune," one of the finest large scale sea atlases of the United States and Canadian Atlantic coastline ever produced. The maps in the atlas were produce over a seven-year… Read more about this item

Amsterdam: Johannes Van Keulen, 1687. Copper-engraved map, period hand-colouring. Inset of the waters near Vera Cruz. (Expert restoration at sheet edges). Van Keulen's scarce 17th century chart of the western Gulf of Mexico, oriented with west toward the top of the page. Van Keulen's rare chart of the western portion of the Gulf of Mexico "covers the coastline… Read more about this item

[Boston: John Norman, 1794. Copper-engraved sea chart, on two joined sheets. Overall sheet size: 21 1/4 x 33 inches. An early issue of the earliest American chart of the North Carolina coast. Wheat and Brun, and others, speculate that the original version of this map was separately published in 1761, citing an advertisement in the September 14, 1761… Read more about this item

London: Published by J. F. W. Des Barres in 'The Atlantic Neptune', 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… Read more about this item

London: William Mount & Thomas Page, 1734. Copper-engraved sea chart, in excellent condition. A very elegant sea chart of all of the west coast of Africa and one of the most important charts of the celebrated Third Book of 'The English Pilot' This very fine sea chart embraces the coast of Africa from Senegal all the way down… Read more about this item

London: William Mount & Thomas Page, 1734. Copper-engraved sea chart, in excellent condition apart from a skillfully repaired marginal split at the base of the centerfold and marginal soiling. A very attractive sea chart of southern Borneo, from the celebrated Third Book of the 'English Pilot' This very attractive sea chart depicts Kalimantan, now the Indonesian section of… Read more about this item

London: William Mount & Thomas Page, 1734. Copper-engraved sea chart by Sutton Nichols, in excellent condition apart from a small expert repair to the lower right and left corners. A very fine sea chart of the coast of Yemen and Oman from the celebrated Third Book of 'The English Pilot' This very attractive sea chart depicts the coast… Read more about this item

London: William Mount & Thomas Page, 1734. Copper-engraved sea chart, in excellent condition, apart from an expertly repaired centre fold, and mild creases where the map folded. A very fine sea chart of China's Zhejiang Province, from the celebrated Third Book of 'The English Pilot.' This elegant and large sea chart captures China's modern day Zhejiang province. Located… Read more about this item

[Amsterdam: Renard, 1739. Copper-engraved sea chart, with full orginal colour, in very good condition. A highly decorative sea chart of the English Channel, by the master-engraver Renard. The marine atlases of 17th and 18th century Holland were best sellers. The nation that led the world in overseas commerce also led in the arts of engraving and cartography. Plus,… Read more about this item