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Rare map of the Pamir Mountains in Central Asia, drawn for George Nathaniel Curzon to accompany his paper The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus, presented his paper to the Royal Geographical Society on February 18, 1895.
The map provides remarkable detail for this region, which was just then beginning to be explored and map in detail. The map focuses on topographical features, including mountains, rivers, lakes and the occasional settlement, with mountain elevations given for the tallest peaks and lakes.
The Pamir Mountains are a mountain range in Central Asia at the junction of the Himalayas with the Tian Shan, Karakoram, Kunlun, Hindu Kush and Hindu Raj ranges. They are among the world's highest mountains.
Curzon's paper, The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus, was published in The Geographical Journal over three issues in July, August, and September of 1896. The map was printed to accompany the first part of Curzon's paper in the July 1896 issue.
The map is quite rare on the market, this being the first example we have offered.
Henry Sharbau, born in Lübeck, North Germany, in 1822, was a distinguished cartographer whose contributions spanned the last half of the 19th century. He began his career with the Ordnance Survey of Scotland and later worked on Admiralty Surveys in the Hebrides and western lochs. By 1865, Sharbau served as a temporary assistant in the Hydrographic Office, a position he held until 1874, before becoming a British subject.
Sharbau's expertise took him to Japan, where he engaged in survey work for the Japanese Government for two years. Upon returning, he worked for the Home Office, the Admiralty, and in Stanford’s establishment. In 1881, he joined the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) as chief draughtsman, where he meticulously worked on cartographic material brought by travelers.
One of his notable achievements was the map of Tibet, supervised by General Walker and published by the RGS in 1894. Sharbau was recognized for his precise and conscientious character, and his maps were renowned for their artistic finish. He passed away in 1904, leaving behind a legacy that is still respected in cartographic circles.
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