A Large, Handsome Faden Composite Atlas With 39 Large Maps, Including 3 Standouts.
This composite atlas, a remarkable amalgamation of large-scale maps by the preeminent British cartographers of the late 18th Century, is a testament to the era's cartographic excellence and geopolitical complexities. The atlas incorporates three of the great America-centric maps from the last quarter of the 18th century, Faden's The United States of North America, Speer's Chart of the West Indies, and the Faden-Roberts "Lost Cook Chart".
William Faden's The United States of North America (1785) captures the post-Revolutionary War era, delineating the newly defined United States boundaries as established by the Treaty of Paris. Its intricate coloring distinguishes American, British, and Spanish territories, highlighting the strategic Newfoundland coasts and emphasizing French fishing rights. The map's iterative quality, updated continuously by Faden throughout its decades-long publication history, makes it one of the enduring records of the United States' early development.
Joseph Smith Speer's Chart of the West Indies from 1774 provides a detailed portrayal of the Caribbean and southeastern North America at the brink of the American Revolution. Speer, a skilled hydrographer, adeptly color-coded territories under various European powers, offering insights into the geopolitical climate of the period and including crucial maritime information.
Henry Roberts and William Faden's Chart of the N.W. Coast of America and the N.E. Coast of Asia, in this, its first state, is often referred to as Captain James Cook's "lost chart," which depicts the Northern Pacific Coastlines. It illustrates Cook's discoveries on his revelatory Third Voyage, as well as the territorial reaches of British, Russian, and Spanish explorations.
Collectively, these maps narrate the dynamic interplay of national development, exploration, and colonial ambition, reflecting the complexities and transformations of the late 18th century.
Contents
The present atlas has seven 4-sheet maps (Africa, the Americas, Asia, the Black Sea region, Europe, and the Mediterranean). There are also ocean charts, maps of India, a Mercator-style world map that shows the route of Cook’s voyages, and many others.
1. William Faden. A New General Chart of the World, Exhibiting the Whole of the Discoveries made by the late Captain James Cook, F.R.S. with the Tracks of the Ships under his Command: Also those of Capn. Phipps (now Lord Mulgrave) in his Expedition to the North Pole. January 1st. 1787.
2. William Faden. Western New World or Hemisphere 3d Edition... 28th. October, 1786 [on sheet with:] Old World or Eastern Hemisphere. 3d Edition... Decr. 1st. 1786.
3. William Faden. Northern Hemisphere 2d Edition... Decr. 1st 1783... [on sheet with:] Southern Hemisphere... Jany. 1, 1783.
4 and 5. Robert Sayer. Europe Divided into Its Empires, Kingdoms, States Republics, &ca. By Thos. Kitchin, Hydrographer to The King, with many Additions and Improvements from the latest Surveys and Observations... Jany 1st, 1787
6 and 7. Robert Sayer & Thomas Kitchin. South Britain or England & Wales. Drawn from several Surveys &c On the New Projection; Corrected from Astronomical Observations, & the Places marked where the Observatns. were made...
8. William Faden & Thomas Kitchin. North Britain or Scotland Divided into its Counties Corrected from the best Surveys & Astronomical Observations by Thos. Kitchin Hydrographer to his Majesty... Decr. 1st 1778
9. Robert Sayer & Thomas Kitchin. A New Map of Ireland Divided into Provinces, Counties &c. By Thos. Kitchin Geogr. Hydrographer to his Majesty... 1st Augt. 1786.
10. William Faden, L. Abbe Diquemare, and L.S. De La Rochette. A Chart of the British Channel and the Bay of Biscay, with a Part of the North Sea, and the Entrance of St. George's Channel... June 17th, 1780.
11. Robert Sayer. The Seven United Provinces, with Their Roads and Divisions... 2d. March 1787.
12. Robert Sayer. The Catholic Netherlands, Divided Into Their Several Provinces with the Roads;... 2d March 1772.
13. Robert Sayer. The Post Roads of France, from the Map of Jaillot. Published by Order of the Duke de Choiseul, Post-master general of that Kingdom... 2d March 1772.
14. William Faden. A Chart of the Coasts of Spain and Portugal, with The Balearic Islands, and Part of the Coast of Barbary. By L.S. De La Rochette. MDCCLXXIX... August 30th 1779.
15. Robert Sayer. The Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal, divided Into Their Great Provinces... 2d March 1772.
16. William Faden. Plan of the Bay, Rock and Town of Gibraltar, from an Actual Survey by an Officer who was at Gibraltar from 1769 to 1775, with the Works, Batteries, and Incampment of the Spanish Army on the 19th of Octor. 1782 the Position of the Combined Fleet, and the Attack by the Battering Ships Septr. 13th of the same Year... Jany. 26th 1783.
17 and 18. William Faden. A Map of the Mediterranean Sea with the Adjacent Regions and Seas in Europe, Asia and Africa... March 1st 1785.
19. [Italy]
20. Carte Generale des Etats du Roi de Sardaigne, Reduite d'apres La Grande Carte Pour trouver facilement ce qu'on a envie de chercher dans celle-la MDCCLXXXIII... Feby. 24th, 1783.
21. [Switzerland]
22. William Faden. A New Map of the German Empire, and the Neighbouring States with their Principal Post Roads, Originally Published by the Royal Academy of Berlin. Engraved with several Additions and Improvements... 9th November 1784.
23. William Faden. A Map of the King of Great Britains Dominions in Germany, or the Electorate of Brunswick-Luneburg, with its Dependencies; containing the Dutchies of Luneburg, Calenberg, Grubenhagen, Lauenburg, Bremen & Verden; and the Counties of Danneberg, Hoya, Diepholt & Hohenstein, By Thomas Jefferys, Geographer to his Majesty... July 1st 1781.
24. Robert Sayer. A New Map of the Kingdom of Poland with Its Dismembered Provinces.... January 1st. 1787
25. Robert Sayer. The Northern States, Containing The Kingdoms of Sweden, Denmark and Norway, Divided into Provinces and Governments... 2d. March 1787
26. Robert Sayer. The European Part of Russia... [joined with:] The Asiatic Part of the Russian Empire From the Maps Published by the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg; with The New Discoveries of Captn. Cook &c... 1 May 1788.
27 & 28. Andrew Dury & William Faden. ... This Map of the present Seat of War, between the Russians, Poles, and Turks... 2d. Edition... Octr. 24th 1787.
29. William Faden. The Sea of Marmara or Propontis, with the Straits of Constantinople and of Gallipoli... Jany. 11th 1786.
30 & 31. Robert Sayer. Asia and Its Islands according to D'Anville; Divided into Empires, Kingdoms, States, Regions, &ca. with The European Possessions and Settlements in The East Indies and An Exact Delineation of All The Discoveries made in the Eastern Pars By The English under Captn. Cook... 6 Jany. 1787.
32. William Faden. Hind, Hindoostan, or India. By L.S. De La Rochette, MDCCLXXXVIII... Jany 1st 1788.
33. William Faden & James Rennell. A Map of Bengal, Bahar, Oude & Allahabad with Part of Agra and Delhi Exhibiting the Course of the Ganges from Hurdwar to the Sea... Jany. 1st 1786.
34. William Faden. The Southern Countries of India from Madrass to Cape Comorin describing the Routes of the Armies Commanded by Colonels Fullarton and Humberston, during the Campaigns of 1782, 1783, & 1784. Surveyed by Col Kelly Capt. Wersebe and others... Feby 8 1788.
35. (First State) William Faden & Henry Roberts. Chart of the N.W. Coast of America and the N.E. Coast of Asia, Explored in the Years 1778 and 1779.... July 24, 1784.
36 & 37. Robert Sayer. Africa, with All Its States, Kingdoms, Republics, Regions, Islands, &ca. Improved and Inlarged from D'Anville's Map; to which have been Added A Particular Chart of the Gold Coast, wherein are Distinguished all the European Forts and Factories, By S. Boulton: and also a Summary Description Relative to the Trade and Natural Produce, Manners and Customs of the African Continent and Islands... 6 Jany. 1787.
38. Thomas Jefferys & Robert Sayer. The Western Coast of Africa; From Cape Blanco to Cape Virga, Exhibiting Senegambia Proper... August 12th 1768.
39. William Faden. The Dutch Colony of the Cape of Good Hope By L.S. De La Rochette. M.DCC.LXXXII... March 20th 1782.
40. Egypte nommée dans le pays Missir Par le Sr. D'Anville de l'Académie Royale des Belles-Lettres, et de celle des Sciences de Petersbourg Sécretaire de S.AS. Mr le Duc d'Orléans
MDCCLXV.
41 & 42. Robert Sayer. A New Map of the Whole Continent Of America, Divided INto North and SOuth and West Indies. wherein are exactly Described The United States of North America
as well as The Several European Possessions according to the Preliminaries of Peace signed at Versailles Jan. 20 1783. Compiled from Mr. D'Anville's Maps of that Continent, with the addition of the Spaniſh Discoveries in 1776 to the North or California & Corrected in the several Parts belonging to Great Britain. from the Original Materials of Governor Pownall MP... 15th August 1786.
43. (Fourth State) William Faden. The United States of North America. with the British & Spanish Territories according tot the Treaty, of 1784... Feby. 11. 1785. Stevens & Tree: Comparative Cartography, 80d
44. (Second State) Joseph Smith Speer. ...Chart of the West Indies... May 20th 1774.
45. William Faden & L.S. De La Rochette. A Chart of the Antilles, or, Charibbee, or, Caribs Islands, with The Virgin Isles... March 1st, 1784.
46 & 47. Robert Sayer. A Map of South America Containing Tierra-Firma, Guayana, New Granada, Amazonia, Brasil, Peru, Paraguay, Chaco, Tucuman, Chili and Patagonia. from Mr. D'Anville with Several Improvements and Additions, and the Newest Discoveries... July the 1st 1787.
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.
Thomas Jefferys (ca. 1719-1771) was a prolific map publisher, engraver, and cartographer based in London. His father was a cutler, but Jefferys was apprenticed to Emanuel Bowen, a prominent mapmaker and engraver. He was made free of the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1744, although two earlier maps bearing his name have been identified.
Jefferys had several collaborators and partners throughout his career. His first atlas, The Small English Atlas, was published with Thomas Kitchin in 1748-9. Later, he worked with Robert Sayer on A General Topography of North America (1768); Sayer also published posthumous collections with Jefferys' contributions including The American Atlas, The North-American Pilot, and The West-India Atlas.
Jefferys was the Geographer to Frederick Prince of Wales and, from 1760, to King George III. Thanks especially to opportunities offered by the Seven Years' War, he is best known today for his maps of North America, and for his central place in the map trade—he not only sold maps commercially, but also imported the latest materials and had ties to several government bodies for whom he produced materials.
Upon his death in 1771, his workshop passed to his partner, William Faden, and his son, Thomas Jr. However, Jefferys had gone bankrupt in 1766 and some of his plates were bought by Robert Sayer (see above). Sayer, who had partnered in the past with Philip Overton (d. 1751), specialized in (re)publishing maps. In 1770, he partnered with John Bennett and many Jefferys maps were republished by the duo.
William Faden (1749-1836) was the most prominent London mapmaker and publisher of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. His father, William Mackfaden, was a printer who dropped the first part of his last name due to the Jacobite rising of 1745.
Apprenticed to an engraver in the Clothworkers' Company, he was made free of the Company in August of 1771. He entered into a partnership with the family of Thomas Jeffreys, a prolific and well-respected mapmaker who had recently died in 1771. This partnership lasted until 1776.
Also in 1776, Faden joined the Society of Civil Engineers, which later changed its name to the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers. The Smeatonians operated as an elite, yet practical, dining club and his membership led Faden to several engineering publications, including canal plans and plans of other new engineering projects.
Faden's star rose during the American Revolution, when he produced popular maps and atlases focused on the American colonies and the battles that raged within them. In 1783, just as the war ended, Faden inherited his father's estate, allowing him to fully control his business and expand it; in the same year he gained the title "Geographer in Ordinary to his Majesty."
Faden also commanded a large stock of British county maps, which made him attractive as a partner to the Ordnance Survey; he published the first Ordnance map in 1801, a map of Kent. The Admiralty also admired his work and acquired some of his plates which were re-issued as official naval charts.
Faden was renowned for his ingenuity as well as his business acumen. In 1796 he was awarded a gold medal by the Society of Arts. With his brother-in-law, the astronomer and painter John Russell, he created the first extant lunar globe.
After retiring in 1823 the lucrative business passed to James Wyld, a former apprentice. He died in Shepperton in 1826, leaving a large estate.
Andrew Dury (fl. 1766-1777?) was a British map and print publisher who operated out of Duke's Court on St. Martin's Lane in London. He was an accomplished mapmaker but substantially less successful than contemporaries such as Thomas Jefferys or William Faden, and his maps are relatively quite rare. Dury's name is most commonly associated with Rennell's large Indian maps. Dury was also responsible for Revolutionary War era plans of Boston and Philadelphia, as well as a series of maps related to the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-74.