Bermudian Art

Maps of Bermuda Interest

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To read about The European & American Historical Context (Political, Economical, Social and Cultural) to the Mapping of Bermuda from the 16th. to the 19th. centuries written by Prof. David McLean, King’s College, University of London. Download PDF file here European & American Historical Context

[“ENGLISH PILOT”] MOUNT & PAGE (PUBLISHERS).

MOUNT, Richard (fl.1684-1722.), MOUNT, William (d.1769), PAGE, Thomas (d.1762)

[London, ca. 1755] [ London edition (with “50” for page 50 upper left)]

[Untitled Map of The 'BERMUDAS']

From: “English Pilot, the Fourth Book “

Condition

Very good.

Measurements

Map to the neat line: 29 ½ x 22 cm

Map full page (including margins): 47 x 31 cm

Map to the neat line: 12 x 9 inches

Map full page (including margins):

General comments on this map

Copper engraving.

Rare map of Bermuda the derivation for which was “pirated” from John Seller’s now very scarce map of Bermuda & Barbadoes together on one sheet. First published by John Thornton and William Fisher in London ca.1689 it was subsequently reprinted many times by Mount & Page up until 1794. Altogether there were 37 editions. Though out-dated by the third quarter of the 18th century, “The English Pilot, The Fourth Book “was the rival publication to the “West-India Atlas” in which the Bermuda map by Clement Lempriere appears. The peak decade of production of “The English Pilot” was the 1760’s.

Shows islands, bays and inlets, forts, navigational hazards, and a “Flemish Wreck”.

This map shows The Island of Bermuda (recto) without title on page-50 of a wonderful text in English. This short printed account of the island begins on page 49 (verso) and includes “A Defcription of the Bermudas or the Summer-Iflands, A Defcription of the Ports and Iflands upon the Coaft between the Amazons and Cape Florida and A Defcription of the Gulph of Florida and the Bahama Iflands”. Includes a text note from the publisher stating – “I would advise everyone to take special care upon this Coaft, for there are (an) abundance of Rocks which are very dangerous: Likewise hereabouts it is very subject to tempestuous Weather.”

Biography

“The business founded by Richard Mount had a long history of chart publishing, first under his own name and later under the joint names of Mount and Page, continuing through the younger members of their families well into the nineteenth century. Richard Mount published the early editions of the “Great Britain’s Coasting Pilot” (Greenvile Collins) and he and his successors were involved in the issue of many editions of the “English Pilot”. Hence, John Seller / Richard Mount and Thomas Page may all at sometime have associated work.

Sources

“Antique Maps” by Carl Mooreland and David Bannister.

“The Mapping of Bermuda: A Bibliography of Printed Maps & Charts, 1547-1970” by Margaret Palmer. Third Revised Edition. Edited by R. V. Tooley. Copyright © 1983 The Holland Press Limited. Published in 1988 by Nicholas Lusher.

“Sellers & Van Ee” 2148

KEULEN, Johannes van (1654-1715).

[Amsterdam: van Keulen, 1682.] Pas kaart van I. la Barmuda anders Sommer Ilands

From: van Keulen's 'Great and Newly Enlarged Sea Atlas' or Waterworld, 1682
Condition: Excellent. Apparently also original hand-colouring.

Measurements
Map to matt opening: 52 ½ x 60 cm.
Map to matt opening: 20 ½ x 23 ½ in.

General comments on this map
Borders graduated for latitude. Bar scales in Dutch miles, Spanish miles and English and French miles [actually leagues].
Shows fortifications around Southampton harbour.

Biography

“Johannes van Keulen (1654, Deventer - 1715, Amsterdam) was a 17th century Dutch cartographer. He published the influential nautical atlas the Zee-Atlas and the pilot guide Zee-Fakkel (Sea-Torch).

In 1678/79 Johannes van Keulen established himself in Amsterdam and in 1680 he obtained a patent from the States of Holland and West Friesland allowing him to print and publish maritime atlases and shipping guides. These were books of maps and descriptions of itineraries, used by helmsmen for safe navigation. The patent was a kind of protection against illegal copying of produced books and charts. This was especially important for the atlases which were made with extensive initial costs. Van Keulen named his firm ‘In de Gekroonde Lootsman’ ('In the Crowned Pilot'). Soon Van Keulen struck a deal with cartographer Claes Jansz. Vooght.

From 1681 onwards the Nieuwe Lichtende Zee-Fakkel appeared, a five volume atlas for which Vooght compiled the maps and which was illustrated by Jan Luyken. The five volume Zee-Fakkel made Johannes van Keulen famous. The Zee-Fakkel was published in 5 volumes between 1681 and 1684 containing over 130 new charts.

His son, Gerard van Keulen (1678-1726), continued his work and produced new editions of the various volumes. Grandson Johannes II van Keulen (1704-1755) published a new edition of the volume with maps of Asian waters, first published in 1755. Great-grandson Gerard Hulst van Keulen (1733-1801) occupied himself with the last editions of the Zee-Fakkel.”

Sources
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Great Britain. (http://www.nmm.ac.uk)
Wikipedia