Interesting map of America and the Pacific, extending to New Zealand and the South Pacific. The map is a fascinating look at the region on the showing first incorporation of the discoveries of Capt. James Cook on the maps of the period. Cook's Strait appears in New Zealand. The NW Coast of America is based largely on the earlier cartography. The Sea of the West is not shown, but the River of the West extends from Aguilar's entrance to the river system SW of Winnepeg Lake. There is tremendous detail showing the Russian discoveries along the NW Coast and a fascinating reference to the discoveries of the Chinese (Fousang) in North America. Many of the islands in the Pacific includes notes and discovery dates. From Dunn's New Atlas or Mundane System of Geography, printed for Robert Sayer at 53 Fleet Street, London. The true first state of the map. Wide clean margins and strong thick paper.
Samuel Dunn (bap. 1723-1794) was a teacher of mathematics and navigation who published, among other things, maps and charts. Although information about his early education is lacking, by age nineteen he was leading his own school and teaching writing, accounting, navigation, and mathematics in Devon. In 1751, he moved to London, where he taught in several schools and tutored privately.
By the 1760s, Dunn was known as a respected astronomer and had published a range of textbooks on math, navigation, and astronomy. After the publication of the Nautical Almanac, Dunn acted as a certifier of ships’ masters under the new system, on behalf of the Board of Longitude. He performed similar work for the East India Company, as well as made charts of the East Indies. In 1776 he published A New Variation Atlas and, in 1777, A New Epitome of Practical Navigation, or, Guide to the Indian Seas. By 1780, he was named editor of the New Directory for the East Indies, which included his own charts. In 1786, he released a pioneering study, Theory and Practice of Longitude at Sea. He also designed several instruments for navigation.
Dunn died at his home in Fleet Street in January 1794. His books and maps were auctioned at Sothebys in a sale of over 1,000 lots. Many of these were bought by Alexander Dalrymple, hydrographer of the East India Company and soon-to-be-named first head of the Hydrography Office.