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C1744
An Exact Chart of all the Countries through which …
Mapmaker:
Scarce, c.18th hand coloured engraved map of the earliest English record of the First Kamchatka Expedition led by the Danish-born explorer Vitus Bering, who had been commissioned by Peter the Great to determine whether a land connection existed between Asia … Read Full Description
$A 375
S/N: NAIB-11016-RUS–229105
(C021)
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Details
Full Title:
An Exact Chart of all the Countries through which Capt. Behring Travelled from Tobolski Capital of Siberia to the Country of Kamtschatka
Date:
C1744
Mapmaker:
Condition:
In good condition
Technique:
Hand coloured copper engraving.
Image Size:
325mm
x 180mm
Paper Size:
397mm
x 240mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1744
Description:
Scarce, c.18th hand coloured engraved map of the earliest English record of the First Kamchatka Expedition led by the Danish-born explorer Vitus Bering, who had been commissioned by Peter the Great to determine whether a land connection existed between Asia and North America.
The map reflects both the scientific ambitions and imperial priorities of early eighteenth-century Russia, while also demonstrating the transmission of geographical knowledge to the wider European context. The chart depicts an extensive geographical range, commencing at Tobolsk, then the administrative centre of Siberia. From this point, it traces the complex overland and riverine route followed by Bering’s party across the Russian interior. Major features such as the Ob, Irtysh, and Lena rivers, together with Lake Baikal, are carefully delineated, illustrating the logistical challenges of traversing such a vast and varied landscape. The route ultimately leads to the port of Okhotsk on the eastern seaboard, which served as the principal staging point for the maritime phase of the expedition towards the Kamchatka Peninsula.
In addition to its geographical content, the map offers insight into the ethnographic and political conditions of the Russian Far East during this period. It records the presence of various Indigenous groups encountered along the journey, including the Yakuts, Koriaks, Chukchi, and Tungus peoples, thereby providing valuable, if mediated, observations of the region’s inhabitants. The coastal delineation, extending from the Gulf of Kamchatka towards the Bering Strait, reflects the growing accuracy of European knowledge in the North Pacific and contributes to the eventual confirmation that Asia and North America were separated by water. Derived from reports and manuscript materials presented by Bering to the Russian Admiralty and to Empress Anna following his return to St Petersburg in 1730, the map stands as an important document in the history of exploration and cartography.
From Harris:, Navigantium atque itinerantium bibliotheca or, a Complete Collection of Voyages and Travel.
Emanuel Bowen (1693 - 1767)
Prominent c.18th Welsh map engraver and geographer who held the prestigious title of Royal Mapmaker, to both King George II of Great Britain and Louis XV of France. Born around 1694 in Talley, Carmarthenshire, he moved to London to apprentice under the globe maker Charles Price. By the 1720s, he had established himself as a leading figure in the London map-making trade, known for a signature style that combined technical accuracy with an abundance of decorative and informative detail.
His work was characterized by a tendency to fill the empty spaces of his maps with dense historical notes, geographical descriptions, and elaborate cartouches. This made his maps not only tools for navigation but also encyclopaedic resources for the 18th-century reader. Later in his career, he collaborated with Thomas Kitchin to produce The Large English Atlas, which remained one of the most comprehensive sets of English county maps for decades.
Despite his prolific output and the high status of his clientele, Bowen’s life ended in financial hardship. He trained several notable apprentices, including his son Thomas Bowen and his son-in-law Thomas Kitchin, yet he struggled to maintain his wealth. By the time of his death in May 1767, he had lost much of his eyesight and lived in poverty, reportedly due to family expenses.
