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Description

Rare sea chart of the coast from the Mississippi Delta to just east of Florida's Appalachicola Bay.

This chart was first published in 1828 as a replacement to the Blunts' 1815 Chart of the Mississippi River and the Coast of West Florida. It includes a coastal outline with names of major towns and landmarks, soundings and other hydrographic data, and shoals and other navigational hazards. Though broadly similar to its predecessor of 1815, it covers a rather longer stretch of coast and includes far more hydrographic data.

The present example includes "additions to 1830," which seem to consist of a few added place names and may also involve some changes to the hydrographic data. The chart was reissued once again in 1834 with an addition of an inset showing the entrance to St. George's Sound.

As with Blunt`s 1815 chart, this is essentially a simplified version of the Gauld charts of the region from the 1760s and 1770s. By comparison, the Blunt chart provides a similar but "looser" rendering of the coast, and fewer soundings and other hydrographic data.

The chart is extremely rare. Rumsey lists a copy of the 1828 edition, bound into a rare composite sea atlas. OCLC lists only the 1838 (Massachusetts Historical Society). We also note that Goodspeed's offered copies of the chart for sale in 1929 (1831 edition) and 1933 (1839 edition). The Mississippi State Archives includes a copy of the 1837 edition. The later editions were revised, with a different title and inset of the Main Entrance to St. George's Sound.

An example of Blunt's earlier chart can be seen here: /gallery/detail/33177mb

The chart is co-owned with Boston Rare Maps.

Condition Description
Linen backed chart. Some pencil notations, a few minor stains and some minor soiling. Lower-right corner mended, linen loosening in places, and some losses and “bubbling” to backing paper.