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Description

With Birdseye View of The St. George Harbor!

Rare separately published Sea Chart of Bermuda, published in London by R.H. Laurie.

Based upon Lempriere's rare chart of Bermuda, Laurie has significantly updated the chart, along with adding inset maps of:

  • The Bar and Harbor of St George
  • The Narrows and Murray Anchorage.

At bottom is a view entitled "View of the Bermuda Islands with the Town and Harbour of St George Taken from Fort George".

The Lighthouse on Gibbs Hill is illustrated on the right.

Rarity

Not in OCLC. 

We note a Sotheby's record for an 1868 edition of the map, sold in 1986 for 528 GBP (about $800).  Palmer's Map Collector's Circle, 19:53, notes an edition of 1852).

Condition Description
Cleaned and laid on new blue backing. Repaired tear at left, extending just above the Murray Anchorage inset. Repaired tears at bottom center. Loss of paper at lower left corner, just affecting printed image. Loss of image at left center, running through Laurie's intials.
Richard Holmes Laurie Biography

Richard Holmes Laurie (1777-1858) was the son of mezzotint engraver Robert Laurie, who had taken over Robert Sayer's publishing house with James Whittle in 1794. Richard Holmes Laurie joined in a partnership with Whittle when his father retired in 1812. The name of the firm then switched from Laurie & Whittle to Whittle & Laurie. Whittle died in 1818, leaving Richard Holmes to continue publishing alone as R. H. Laurie.

When the Hydrographic Office opened in 1795, it was tasked with creating and producing all the nautical charts for the Royal Navy so as to wean the Navy off dependence on foreign charts. By the 1820s, private publishers were augmenting HO charts and competing with them, including Richard Holmes Laurie. Richard gave up publishing anything except nautical materials by 1830. He also sold charts to Trinity House, the lighthouse and maritime safety fraternity. He died in 1858. 

The firm continued to print under the name R.H. Laurie even after 1858. Later, the firm was managed by Laurie’s draughtsman, Alexander George Findlay, and, later, Daniel and William Kettle.