Arrowsmith – AFRICA WALL MAP

Estimate

R15,000 - R20,000

Hammer

R15,000

Arrowsmith – AFRICA WALL MAP

More Information

Aaron Arrowsmith
AFRICA

London: Arrowsmith, (1802) [1816] (fourth state)

Copperplate, 4 sheets, outline colour, wear and short tears along edges; South West: watermarked J WHATMAN 1816, damp mark along bottom edge, foxing, age toning, window mount burn; South East: watermarked J WHATMAN 1816; North East: J WHATMAN 1811, age toning, wormhole, verso: pencil note; North West: J WHATMAN 1811, age toning, verso: pencil note

63 by 73 each
124 by 145cm combined


An important map seldom found in four sheets. Arrowsmith usually sold it dissected into small panels, mounted on linen and edged with blue silk. The map also represents a challenge to other map makers of the time and explorers. Its reliable and accurate information represents Aaron Arrowsmith dedication to constant revision and refusal to fill the blank spaces on the map with speculative or anecdotal data. These blank spaces were also a siren’s call to explorers and the accumulation of geographic discovery can be traced through the different states of the map. Another unusual aspect of the map in this lot is that that the Northern and Southern sheets are of the same state, but printed on paper watermarked with different years.

LITERATURE
Tooley p.9