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A Unique 17th-Century English Manuscript World Map.

This remarkable and highly unusual English manuscript map of the world presents the globe in twin polar azimuthal equidistant projections, centered on the North and South Poles. Signed “Thomas Trippit,” the map was almost certainly produced in England during the early Restoration period—a time of renewed maritime ambition and technical advancement following the political turmoil of the Interregnum.

While the celebrated Thames School of English chartmaking—active from the 1590s into the early 18th century—focused overwhelmingly on coastal and regional navigation, world maps were virtually absent from its output. This manuscript sits just outside that core tradition: stylistically and technically distinct, yet almost certainly the work of a mariner or mathematical practitioner operating near the Thames Estuary, where communities of pilots, instrument makers, and naval officers clustered. As such, it represents a vanishingly rare survival of English world mapping from the Restoration era, executed not for print or commercial sale but likely for instruction, demonstration, or personal study within a professional maritime context.

The map has been in a private collection since it was sold at Sotheby's on April 21, 1983.

The Geographical Content

The map’s geographical content reflects a hybrid synthesis of contemporary knowledge and persistent misconceptions characteristic of the mid-to-late 17th century.

Australia and the Pacific: "New Holland" (Australia) shows coastlines based on Dutch discoveries stemming from voyages like those of Abel Tasman (1642-1644). Curiously, while parts of New Zealand (sighted by Tasman in 1642) are included, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania, also charted by Tasman on the same voyage) is omitted, an apparent inconsistency or oversight. An implied strait between New Guinea and Australia reflects cautious Dutch charting practices in the region now known as the Torres Strait. Following early encounters (e.g., Willem Janszoon, 1606), the prevailing easterly winds and perceived dangers of shallow, reef-strewn waters discouraged thorough exploration from the west, leading most Dutch charts to leave the connection ambiguous. James Cook's passage from east to west in 1770 confirmed the definitive separation for a global audience much later.

North America: California is prominently depicted as an island. The Great Lakes region is rendered vaguely, though a large "Upper Lake" suggests an awareness of Lake Superior; the depiction may draw inspiration from contemporary French sources like the maps of Champlain or Duval. Along the Atlantic coast, recognizable English colonies such as "Virginia," "Maryland," "New England," "Carolina" (chartered 1663), and "Long Island" are labeled, reflecting growing English settlement.

South America: The presence of the mythical Lake Parime suggests reliance on earlier sources, possibly Blaeu's maps from the 1640s (such as his large world map of 1648) or similar derivatives.

Sources and Compilation: While the overall polar projection format bears resemblance to later unpublished exemplars by Blaeu (c. 1672) and its successor Valk (c. 1695), the radically different toponymy and specific geographical details (like the Great Lakes rendering and the Australia/New Zealand inconsistency) demonstrate that this is not a direct copy but rather a unique compilation drawing from various contemporary sources.

Identity of the Mapmaker

While the cartographer "Thomas Trippit" remains obscure (he is not recorded in Thrower's The Compleat Plattmaker or any other source dealing with 17th-century English mapmaking), compelling circumstantial evidence points towards the Trippett family, known pilots active in 17th-century Kentish ports like Deal and Erith. Of these, Thomas Trippett of Erith (d. 1691) emerges as the most plausible author. His will, proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, suggests both status and occupation consistent with that of a senior pilot or maritime instructor. Erith’s location—near Deptford, Woolwich, and Gravesend—placed him at the heart of England’s naval infrastructure, surrounded by men who required or created manuscript navigational aids when printed charts were either outdated or unavailable.

The Views

Two coastal scenes at the bottom margin further support this Kentish provenance. The left-hand view of Texel, and the right-hand “Cales” (Calais), are adapted from prints by Wenceslaus Hollar (P775 and P935, respectively). These ports would have been intimately familiar to English mariners operating out of the Downs or the Thames. Texel was the principal staging point for Dutch East India Company fleets, while Calais was a common destination for short-haul Channel crossings. Their inclusion serves not just as decorative framing, but as subtle visual cues situating the mapmaker within a world of cross-Channel pilotage and Dutch-English nautical interaction.

The Diagrams

Perhaps the most intellectually revealing elements, attesting to the maker's advanced technical understanding, are the three diagrams arranged along the lower edge.

The flanking circles are identical polar stereographic projections illustrating Earth's orientation relative to the ecliptic plane (the apparent path of the Sun). They clearly label the North Pole of the World (NPW, the geographic pole) and the North Polar Ecliptic (NPE, the point perpendicular to the orbital plane), demonstrating the ~23.5° tilt of Earth's axis. The division of the ecliptic into zodiacal segments beginning with Aries further indicates a sophisticated cosmographical interest extending beyond basic navigational practice.

The central circular diagram shifts perspective to observational astronomy. It is centered on a zenith point ("Z") corresponding to the overhead position for an observer at approximately 53° North latitude – neatly matching the latitude of Texel, depicted in the adjacent view. A double compass rose radiates outwards, framing the celestial sphere as seen from this specific location. The angular distance shown between the zenith and the celestial pole (roughly 37°) confirms the observer's latitude (90° - 37° = 53°). This diagram speaks directly to the practical knowledge needed for navigating complex coastal areas like the Texel roadstead, where pilots relied on precise bearings relative to the sky and landmarks (such as the Den Hoorn church tower, possibly alluded to in the vignette) to avoid treacherous sandbanks – techniques preserved on Dutch sea charts for generations.

Dating the Map

While undated, the map's content suggests a likely window of production between circa 1665 and 1675. The inclusion of “Carolina,” chartered in 1663, provides a clear terminus post quem, and the cartographic framework, though reminiscent of Blaeu’s unpublished polar projection of ca. 1672, is executed with sufficient originality to rule out direct copying.

The use of vignettes derived from Hollar prints, while not definitive, adds further weight to this range, suggesting familiarity with contemporary visual sources circulating in the 1660s and early 1670s. Taken together, the geographical knowledge, projection style, and visual references all align with a moment of rising navigational and cosmographic literacy in the early Restoration period—consistent with the active career of Thomas Trippett of Erith.

Conclusion

Taken together, the unusual double polar projection, the specific compilation of geographic knowledge, the culturally relevant Hollar-derived vignettes, and especially the sophisticated astronomical diagrams, point to a creator of considerable skill and theoretical depth. While Trippit was not a member of the formal Thames School of chart makers, it seems he was a mathematically literate navigator, pilot, or instructor deeply embedded in the maritime world of Restoration England. The map serves as a unique testament to the advanced practical and theoretical maritime science cultivated within England's coastal communities during a foundational era of global exploration and commercial expansion.

We express our gratitude to Hans Kok, Ashley Baynton-Williams, and Laurence Worms for their assistance with the cataloging of this map.