One of the Great Rarities of American Atlas Collecting.
Using the surveys of Captain James Cook and others, Jefferys began this highly important atlas of sea-charts of America in 1768. The first edition of the North American Pilot followed in 1775 and was subsequently re-issued several times. The finely engraved and accurate charts also include numerous inset charts and maps of sea-side cities and towns. The sea-atlas contains a very good and early chart of the Gulf Stream based on the observations of Benjamin Franklin.
Exceedingly rare: We can trace only one other copy of the first volume, and no other copies of the second volume, appearing at auction since the present copy last sold at Sotheby's in 1998.
Maps: Volume I
- James Cook and Michael Lane. A General Chart of the Island of Newfoundland with the Rocks & Soundings. Drawn from Surveys taken b Order of the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.
- James Cook, Chabert, and Fleurieu. A Chart of the Banks of Newfoundland, Drawn from a Great Number of Hydrographical Surveys...
- Robert Sayer. A Chart of the South-East Part of Newfoundland, Containing The Bays of Placentia, St. Mary, Trepassey and Conception. from Actual Survey.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. Thomas Jefferys, engraver. [Trinity Harbour]. [Carboniere and Harbour Grace]. [Cape Broyle Harbour, Ferryland Harbour, Aquafort Harbour, Fermouse Harbour]. [St. John's Harbour].
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. Thomas Jefferys, engraver. The Harbour of Trepassey with Mutton and Biscay Bays. [with] The Road and Harbour of Placentia by James Cook. [with] St. Mary's Harbour.
- James Cook. A Chart of Part of the South Coast of Newfoundland Including the Islands of Langley, St. Peters and Miquelon with the Southern Entrance into the Gulph of St. Laurence from actual Surveys Taken by Order of Commodore Pallisser Governor of Newfoundland, Labradore, &c.
- [Chart Seven]
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. Thomas Jefferys, engraver. The Island of Sable...
- Robert Sayer. Thomas Jefferys, engraver. A Chart of the Harbour of Halifax, in Nova Scotia; with Jebucto Bay and Cape Sambro. also the Islands, Ledges of Rocks, Shoals & Sounding... By Charles Morris...
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. A Draught of the Gut of Canso, Between Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island...
- Robert Sayer. A Chart of the Gulf of St. Laurence, Composed From a Great Number of Actual Surveys and other Materials...
- Thomas Jefferys, engraver. A Chart of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Laurence Survey in 1765.
- A Map of the Island of St. John In the Gulf of St. Laurence Divided Into Counties & Parishes And the Lots, as granted by Government. to which are added The Soundings round the Coast & Harbours, Improv'd from the late Survey of Captain Holland.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. A Plan of Chaleur Bay, in the Gulf of St. Laurence, Surveyed by His Majesty's Ship Norwich, in 1760.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. A Plan of Ristigouche Harbour, in Chaleur Bay. Surveyed in 1760 by the Kings Ship Norwich.
- James Cook. A Chart of the West Coast of Newfoundland, Surveyed by Order of Commodore Pallisser, Governor of Newfoundland, Labradore &c. &c. by James Cook, Surveyor.
- Robert Sayer. A Chart of the Straights of Bellisle with part of the Coast of Newfoundland and Labradore from Actual Surveys... by James Cook, afterwards Captn. Cook, the Celebrated Circumnavigator, and by Michael Lane in 1769
- Robert Sayer. A Chart of Part of the Coast of Labradore, from the Straights of Bell Isle, to Cape Bluff. Surveyed by Joseph Gilbert in 1767.
- Robert Sayer. A Chart of Part of the Coast of Labradore, from Grand Point to Shecatica. Surveyed by Michael Lane in 1768.
- Robert Sayer. A New Chart of the River St. Laurence, from the Island of Anticosti to the Falls of Richelieu...
Maps: Volume II
- Robert Sayer. The Atlantic Ocean by Governor Pownall F.R.S.
- A Chart of the Harbour of Boston, With the Soundings, Sailing-Marks, and Other Directions.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. Chart of the Entrance of Hudson's River, from Sandy Hook to New York, with the Banks, Depths of Water, Sailing-mark, &ca.
- Joshua Fisher. A Chart of Delaware Bay and River...
- Anthony Smith. A New and Accurate Chart of the Bay of Chesapeake, with all the Shoals, Channels, Islands, Entrances, Soundings, and Sailing-marks, as far as the Navigable Part of the Rivers Patowmack, Patapsco and North-East.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. A Plan of Cape Fear River from the Bar to Brunswick.
- Robert Sayer & John Bennett. An Exact Plan of Charles-Town-Bar and Harbour. From an Actual Survey. WIth the Attack of Fort Sulivan, on the 28th of June 1776...
- John Gascoigne. A Plan of Port Royal in South Carolina.
- John Gascoigne. A Plan of the River and Sound of D'Awfoskee, in South Carolina.
- Jacob Blamey. A Plan of Amelia Harbour and Barr, in East Florida.
- Thomas Jefferys. The Coast of West Florida and Louisiana [with] The Peninsula and Gulf of Florida...
- Thomas Jefferys. The Coast of Yucatan... [with] The Island of Cuba...
Provenance
Pierre S. duPont III (his sale, Christie's New York, 8 October 1991, lot 190)
Stanley Paul Sax (his sale, Sotheby's New York, 16 January 1998, lot 179)
John Golden (his sale, Sotheby's New York, 22 November 2022, lot 25)
Robert Sayer (ca. 1724-1794) was a prominent London map publisher. Robert’s father was a lawyer, but his older brother married Mary Overton, the widow of prominent mapmaker Philip Overton and the proprietor of his shop after his death. Mary continued the business for roughly a year after her marriage and then, in early 1748, it passed to Robert. Robert became a freeman of the Stationers’ Company later that year; his first advertisement as an independent publisher was released in December.
Sayer benefited from Overton’s considerable stock, which included the plates of John Senex. In the 1750s, Sayer specialized in design books and topographical prints, as well as comic mezzotints. In 1753, he, along with John Roque, published a new edition of Thomas Read’s Small British Atlas, the first of several county atlases that Sayer would publish.
Sayer’s business continued to grow. In 1760 he moved further down Fleet Street to larger premises at 53 Fleet Street. In 1766, he acquired Thomas Jefferys’ stock when the latter went bankrupt. In 1774, he entered into a partnership with John Bennett, his former apprentice. The pair specialized in American atlases, based on the work of Jefferys. They also began publishing navigational charts in the 1780s and quickly became the largest supplier of British charts in the trade.
Bennett’s mental health declined, and the partnership ended in 1784. As Sayer aged, he relied on his employees Robert Laurie and James Whittle, who eventually succeeded him. He spent more and more time at his house in Richmond. In 1794, he died in Bath.
John Bennett (fl. 1760-d. 1787) was a London printer best known for his role in the successful partnership of Sayer & Bennett. In 1760, Bennett became a servant of Robert Sayer (ca. 1724-1794), the prominent print and map seller, and was apprenticed to him in 1765. In 1774, Bennett became a free journeyman and entered into a partnership with Sayer. They issued joint advertisements and publications. In 1777, Bennett owned 1/3 share in the business. The partnership was likely to continue fruitfully, but in 1781 Bennett began to show signs of mental illness. In 1783, he was admitted to an asylum for nine months and, in 1784, Sayer filed papers to dissolve their business partnership. Bennett died in 1787.