Mary Senex's Grand Folio Atlas with Catalog of Senex Maps and Books Tipped In.
Includes Senex's Important Map of North America and William Whiston's Scheme of the Solar System
An exceptional full wash color example of Mary Senex's "English Atlas", consisting of 34 highly detailed large-scale engraved maps, including a fine map of North America and large double hemisphere map of the World.
Published by Mary Senex in about 1748, this atlas, with maps attributed to John Senex, originated from the collaboration between Charles Price Sr. and Senex in 1707. Price, initially an apprentice to John Seller Sr., later formed a partnership with Jeremiah Seller, the heir of John Seller Sr., which unfortunately culminated in bankruptcy in 1706. Subsequently, Price and Senex, operating from separate premises, joined forces. Post-bankruptcy, Price joined Senex at his establishment "next to the Fleece Tavern in Cornhill." In 1707, this union heralded the "New Sett of Correct Maps," as reported in the Daily Courant on September 24, 1707. This project entailed a series of elephant folio maps, printed on two joined sheets, released periodically, with the aim of compiling an atlas comprising twenty maps, featuring Price as the cartographer and Senex as the engraver.
The venture struggled financially, resulting in the addition of John Maxwell to the partnership. However, financial difficulties persisted, eventually dissolving this partnership. Price departed, acquiring some map plates, while Senex retained the remainder and collaborated with George Willdey and Timothy Brandreth. Both commissioned new plates to assemble a world atlas.
Price, Brandreth, and Willdey publicized their maps in the Post Man between August 23 and 25, 1711. Concurrently, Senex and Maxwell advertised their atlas in the Spectator on October 1, 1711. Willdey's atlas is notably rarer, likely due to his inability to recuperate the investment costs. Senex, conversely, overcame initial financial challenges. His atlas, occasionally referred to as The English Atlas, flourished, with reissues by Senex and later his widow Mary Senex into the 1740s, with later editions issued by the Bowles family and associates in the 1750s, following the retirement of Mary Senex in 1755.
Following Maxwell's exit from the partnership, John Senex removed the names of Price and Maxwell, and, after his induction into the Royal Society in 1728, added "F.R.S." to his name on various maps.
The atlas presented here represents the advanced state achieved post-1728, with notoriously challenging dating post that period. This particular copy features a broadsheet catalogue of Mary Senex, affixed to the inside lower cover. The catalog includes a Calculation of the Eclipse of the Sun, July 14, 1748 . . .
John Senex (1678-1740) was one of the foremost mapmakers in England in the early eighteenth century. He was also a surveyor, globemaker, and geographer. As a young man, he was apprenticed to Robert Clavell, a bookseller. After his death in 1740 his widow, Mary, carried on the business until 1755. Thereafter, his stock was acquired by William Herbert and Robert Sayer (maps) and James Ferguson (globes).
Senex's Large Map of North America
Senex's map is one of the earliest large-scale English maps of North America. The map represents a British attempt to consolidate new information about the region and borrows data from such recently published sources as Delisle's landmark Carte du Mexique et de la Floride and Carte de la Canada. Senex improves upon this work with a fine depiction of the Great Lakes region and the most accurate definition of the lower Mississippi River and its delta by an English cartographer of the period. Several of the most important and controversial cartographic discoveries of the period are discussed at length, including Lahontan's mythical Long River and the Salt Lake east of the Country of the Mozeemleck's, both of which are also depicted in remarkable (albeit fanciful) detail.
Sir William Phipps's discovery of Spanish wrecks off the coast of the Caicos and Southern Bahamas is noted. Senex also extended the map's coverage to the Canadian Arctic and the Terra Incognita above Baffin's Bay. Present-day Oklahoma and Texas are part of La Floride, considered at the time to be a possession of the French. The Red River and the Indian villages of east Texas are portrayed accurately, but Senex, following Delisle, incorrectly placed many Texas rivers, in addition to depicting some strange and unrecognizable names. Locations of Apaches, Tiguas, "Apaches Vasqueros" are noted as are a great many villages and names in New Mexico and northern Mexico.
California is shown connected to the mainland, while the Missouri River appears as it does on Delisle's map of 1703 - Wheat
One of the most remarkable large format English maps of the period, embellished with a large cartouche incorporating allegorical depictions of Native Americans, and a coat of arms.
The present state of the North America map conforms Ashley Baynton-Williams State C, including the imprint of John Senex and dated 1710, with Maxwell name removed (State B) and pre-dating the addition of Georgia (State D). We date the map to circa 1728.
Whiston's Solar System
The Library of Congress has a similar Senex composite atlas, but without the impressive map of the solar system by William Whiston, present here.
The map illustrates the orbits of the comets known to Edmund Halley and Whiston at the beginning of the 18th Century, based upon Newton's model. Each comet is illustrated by its orbit with information about its modern appearances, distances from the sun, etc. A number of Newton's teachings are annotated within the printed image and additional information appears outside the solar hemisphere.
William Whiston was an English theologian, historian, and mathematician, who succeeded Isaac Newton as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. His A New Theory of the Earth from its Original to the Consummation of All Things (1696), articulated Whiston's belief that the global flood of Noah had been caused by a comet, a position which won him praise from Newton. Whiston and Halley were both advocates for the periodicity of comets, although Whiston also believed that comets were responsible for past catastrophes in earth's history.
The map was first prepared by Whiston in 1712, likely to illustrate his public lectures on Newton's astronomical teachings, and thereafter copied and modified for most of the 18th Century.
As noted by Whiston in his Memoirs (p. 191):
About the same year, 1712, I published A Scheme of the Solar System, with the orbits of 21 comets 5 in a large meet of paper, engraved on copper, by Mr. Senex. Price 2 s. 6 d. Which Scheme has been of great reputation and advantage among the curious ever since.
The present edition was issued by John Bowles, Robert Sayer and Carrington Bowles.
Here follows a list of the maps in the present atlas. All maps attributed to John Senex, unless otherwise indicated:
1. A Scheme of the Solar System with the Orbits of the Planets and Comets belonging thereto. Describ'd from Dr. Halley's accurate Table of Comets. Philosoph. Transact. No. 297. Founded on Sr. Isaac Newton's wonderful discoveries by Wm. Whiston, M.A.
2. A Map of the World Corrected from Observations communicated to the Royal Societys of London and Paris. Engraved double-hemisphere world map, dedicated by John Senex to Robert Boyle. The margins include copious texts about Isaac Newton's tides, and Dr. Halley's winds. Henry Wagner points out that "the author [of the above map] was uncertain whether California was an island or not."
3. Europe. Corrected from Observation communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris.
4. Asia. Corrected from the Observations communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris.
5. Africa. Corrected from the Observation of the Royal Society of London and Paris. (repaired tear along the bottom).
6. North America. Corrected from the Observations Communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris. 1710.
7. South America. The companion to the North America map, similarly elaborate and detailed treatment, with allegorical cartouche, outline color, and the like.
8. A New Map of Great Britain . . . 1714. Outline color.
9. Ireland. Corrected from the Latest Observations. Divided into its Provinces, Counties, & Baronies Shewing the Principal Roads, and the Distances of Places in Common reputed Miles, by Inspection, Where Barracks are Erected, &c. 1712.
10. The VII United Provinces... Humbly dedicated to Elihu Yale, Esq. 1709.
11. A New and Correct Map of the Ten Spanish Provinces. According to the New Observations Communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris. 1714.
12. A Map of the County of Flanders by William de l'Isle
13. A New Map of the Provinces of Hainault, Namur and Cambray. 1710.
14. The Provinces of Artois and the Country Adjacent. By William de l'Isle
15. France. Corrected from ye Observations made by the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris.
16. A Map of the Provostship and Viscounty of Paris. Drawn from a great number of particular memoirs made according to the Observations of the Academy of Sciences by G. Delisle of the same Academy. Sold by I. Senex at the Globe against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, London. 1713.
17. A Correct Map of Spain & Portugal.
18. A Map of Old and New Castile. From the Observations of Rodrigo Mendes Silva and others.
19. Italy; with the Islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. By Mr. D'Anville, Geographer to the French King.
20. Germany. Corrected from the Observations of the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris. 1710.
21. Denmark. Corrected from the Newest Observations of the Royal Societies at London and Paris. 1710.
22. Sweden. Corrected from the Observations, communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris.
23. Moscovy. Corrected from ye Observations communicated to the Royal Society of London and Paris. Tear in lower left margin, just touching neatline.
24. Poland. Corrected from the Observations communicated to the Royal Society at London and the Royal Academy at Paris.
25. A New Map of Hungary And of the Countries, Provinces &c. . . .
26. Turkey in Europe. Corrected from observations communicated to the Royal Societys at London and Paris.
27. A Map of Turky Arabia & Persia. Corrected from the latest Travels and from the Observations of the Royal Societys of Londons and Paris. By G. de l'Isle.
28. Graeciae Antiquae Tabula Nova.Graciae Pars Meridionalis.
29. Graeciae Pars Septentrionalis.
30. Tabula Italae Antiquae in Regiones XI ab Augusto divisae et tum ad mensuras itinerarias tum ad observationes astronomicas exactae.
31. Regionum Italiae Mediarum Tabula Geographica.
32. Theatrum Historicum ad annum Christi quadringentesimum. . . . Pars Orientalis
33. Theatrum Historicum ad annum Christi quadringentesimum. . . . Pars Occidentalis
34. In Notitiam Ecclesiasticam Africae Tabula Geographica. Auctore G. De l'Isle.
Provenance:
Ralph Adderley Esqr. Coton (his bookplate).
John Senex (1678-1740) was one of the foremost mapmakers in England in the early eighteenth century. He was also a surveyor, globemaker, and geographer. As a young man, he was apprenticed to Robert Clavell, a bookseller. He worked with several mapmakers over the course of his career, including Jeremiah Seller and Charles Price. In 1728, Senex was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a rarity for mapmakers. The Fellowship reflects his career-long association as engraver to the Society and publisher of maps by Edmund Halley, among other luminaries. He is best known for his English Atlas (1714), which remained in print until the 1760s. After his death in 1740 his widow, Mary, carried on the business until 1755. Thereafter, his stock was acquired by William Herbert and Robert Sayer (maps) and James Ferguson (globes).