RUSSIAN EMPIRE 1778 MIDDLETON & BOWEN UNUSUAL ANTIQUE COPPER ENGRAVED MAP

Description: Striking and highly detailed interesting 1778 Thomas Bowen's copper engraved map of the Russian Empire between Europe and Asia. Covers from the borders with the Kingdom of Poland to the Far East of Asia, showing the Kamchatka Peninsula. Provides excellent topographic details on cities, towns, rivers, lakes, reliefs and islands. 

Source: Charles Theodore Middleton.  A New and Complete System of Geography. Containing a full, accurate, authentic and interesting account and description of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America; ... The whole embellished ... with copper plates. By Charles Theodore Middleton, Esq. assisted by several gentlemen ... London: Printed for J. Cooke ..., 1778.

Date: 1778 ( undated )

Dimension: Paper size approx.: cm 36 x 22,5

Condition: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains. Map uncolored. Small foxing and browning. Conditions are as you can see in the images.

Mapmaker: Thomas Bowen (b. c. 1733 - March 1790) was a Welsh engraver of maps and charts. He was the son of Emanuel Bowen (1693/4–1767), under whom he had apprenticed. His work was printed with his father's, as well as other publishers throughout the latter half of the eighteenth century. He married Alice Downes on December 25, 1768. He appears even thento have not been successful, and more than once found himself a debtor. He was imprisoned for debt in 1761, and he met his death in 1790 in Clerkenwell workhouse.