COLLECTION NAME:
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Record
Author:
Arrowsmith, Aaron
Date:
1799
Short Title:
[Eastern Hemisphere, Map of the World on a Globular Projection...]
Publisher:
Aaron Arrowsmith
Publisher Location:
London
Type:
Wall Map
Obj Height cm:
105
Obj Width cm:
105
World Area:
Eastern Hemisphere
Full Title:
[Eastern Hemisphere, Map of the World on a Globular Projection Exhibiting Particularly the Nautical Researches of Capn. James Cook, F.R.S. with all the Recent Discoveries to the Present Time carefully Drawn by A. Arrowsmith . . . ]
List No:
15294.000
Publication Author:
Arrowsmith, Aaron
Pub Date:
1799
Pub Title:
[Eastern Hemisphere, Map of the World on a Globular Projection Exhibiting Particularly the Nautical Researches of Capn. James Cook, F.R.S. with all the Recent Discoveries to the Present Time carefully Drawn by A. Arrowsmith . . . ]
Pub Note:
"Rare early edition of Aaron Arrowsmith's double hemisphere world map. Arrowsmith's map of the World in two hemispheres was first issued in 1794 and was instrumental in establishing him in the London trade. Celebrating the discoveries of famed explorer James Cook, the map may fairly be described as the first truly scientific double hemisphere wall map of the world produced in English. The map lays down the tracks of each of Cook's voyages, along with the discoveries of other circumnavigators and explorers (for example, discoveries by Mackenzie and Hearne in the Canadian Arctic). The map is known in at least 4 states (1794, 1799, 1808 and 1814), along with unrecorded states, including an 1818 which we handled in 2018. As is often the case, the present example is without the title and dedication which were printed on separate sheets and are sometimes are found trimmed and mounted onto the map when when joined as a single wall map. Stevens and Tree identify the above four issues based on the imprints; this copy without that information, but can be dated to the 1799 issue cartographically, i.e. with Bass Strait present and named between Australia and Tasmania, and with no indication of the Louisiana Purchase. Dating The Map Because not all examples of the map include the title and dating information, which were printed on separate sheets and are frequently lacking, dating the map has created confusion and a number of the institutional examples are mis-dated or otherwise catalogued in a misleading fashion. The features which help to date this state of the map are: "Bass's Strait" is shown for the first time on a printed map -- as discovered by George Bass and Matthew Flinders in 1798. In the earlier editions, Nuyt's land appears in the middle of the southern coastline of Australia, but Bass's Strait is not present. Upper Missouri River System and Rocky Mountains based upon Humboldt are not yet shown (added in 1808). Large Lake and "Dogg Nation" appear in western North America (removed prior to 1808). Quadra & Vancouver Island is named (first shown in 1799). The foregoing data points suggest that there may be 2 states of the map between the 1794 and 1808 editions (one with and one without the Bass Strait), rather than the 1 state noted by Stevens. We observe the following examples: 1794 - Boston Public Library: https://collections… 1799 - Lacking Bass Strait / JCB: https://jcb.lunaima… 1799 - Naming Bass Strait / This Example 1808 - Stanford / Rumsey Collection: https://exhibits.st… Aaron Arrowsmith Aaron Arrowsmith was the founder of one of the leading London map publishing houses in the early part of the nineteenth century. He came to London about 1770 and worked as a surveyor for John Cary. In 1790, he set up shop in Long Acre and soon established an international reputation. Aaron Arrowsmith, Hydrographer to the King of England and Geographer to the Prince of Wales, was the most influential and respected map publishers of the first quarter of the nineteenth century ... His role in cartographic production was to gather the best information available from a wide variety of sources, weigh the relative merits of conflicting data, and compile from this the most accurate depiction possible of an area. Arrowsmith accomplished this synthesis better than any other commercial map maker of his day and, as a result, his maps were the most sought after and highly prized on three continents" (Martin & Martin, p. 113). Arrowsmith specialized in monumental multi-sheet maps. Many of his maps are now very rare on the market." (Ruderman, 2022)
Pub List No:
15294.000
Pub Type:
Wall Map
Pub Height cm:
105
Pub Width cm:
105
Image No:
152794000.jp2
Authors:
Arrowsmith, Aaron
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