Rare and Fine Chart of the Eastern Seaboard from an Influential Atlas

Scarce early-eighteenth century English sea chart of the East Coast of North America, which includes a second and more detailed chart of the region between Cape Henry and Long Island.

The rich Grand Banks fishing area is marked in detail, as is the Eastern seaboard of what was then the British colonies in North America. A note in the far north, where coastal detail is sparser, references the findings of a Captain Davis. John Davis (1550-1605) was a skilled navigator who worked in the service of Queen Elizabeth I and commanded several Arctic voyages in search of the Northwest Passage. The Davis Strait is named for him.

Early mapping of Chesapeake Bay

The large-scale inset of the Chesapeake region is of particular note, being one of the most detailed chartings of the region to date. Over one hundred place names are shown, along with soundings, shoals, and other coastline geography. New Jersey and East New Jersey, written as Jarsey, are named, as are Bergen County, Essex County, Middlesex and others. The inset also includes excellent detail around New York City, Staten Island, and part of Long Island.

Chesapeake Bay was an early focus of colonial energy for Europeans, especially the Spanish, who sent early failed expeditions, and then the English. The first map to name the bay, and the first separate map of Virginia, was drawn by John White and published by Theodor de Bry in 1590. English explorer John Smith first published his iconic map of the bay and Virginia in 1612; it was reproduced in several states until the eighteenth century. Dutch charts, the best in the world in the seventeenth century, also featured detailed information about the bay, such as Johannes van Keulen’s reprint of Claes Janszoon Vooght’s Pas kaart van de zee kusten van Vrginia in 1684.

Many of the maps of the seventeenth century followed Smith’s example in orienting maps of the area to the west, including, for example, Augustine Herrman’s Virginia and Maryland as it is planted and inhabited this present year 1670. Hermann’s map in turn inspired John Senex in his own maps of the area, although his were oriented to the north; Senex also worked on the atlas in which this map featured.

Atlas Maritimus et Commercialis

This chart was included in an important English maritime atlas of the early-eighteenth century, the Atlas Maritimus et Commercialis. The atlas included a geography text, sailing directions, and sea charts. It was published by, among others, the Knapton brothers, who were also responsible for some of the bestselling voyage accounts of the early- to mid-eighteenth century, including those of William Dampier.

The atlas was published specifically to rival the English Pilot, a five-volume work that was published first by John Seller, and then by his son, Jeremiah, and his partner, Charles Price, and then by Mount & Page. To differentiate it from the competition, the Atlas was published in one volume. It also featured the western and southern coasts of the Americas, which were not included in the Pilot.

Much of the text of the work is attributed to Daniel Defoe who, in addition to writing Robinson Crusoe, was also an eager advocate of colonial expansion and overseas trade. The atlas is usually attributed to John Senex, John Harris, and Henry Wilson. Nathaniel Cutler is thought to have contributed to the charts and to have written the sailing directions, which Edmund Halley supposedly edited. Edmund Halley is also mentioned on the title page as approving the projection, which most likely refers to a globular projection developed by Senex, Harris, and Wilson.

In 2015, a complete example of the atlas sold for £27,500 at Christie's in London. While the collaboration was impressive, the atlas never achieved the same commercial success. As such, the charts are quite scarce on the market.