 1791 Depot de Marine Chart / Map of the Azores w/ Coastal Views  WE SELL ONLY ORIGINAL ANTIQUE MAPS - NOT REPRODUCTIONS Title: Carte Reduite des Iles Acores dressee Par Ordre du Ministre de la Marine Pour le Service des Vaisseux Francais, d'apres les Observations faites par M. de Fleurieu, en 1769 et par Don Vicente Tofiño en 1788/ Publiee au Depot general des Cartes, Plans et Journaux de la Marine. 1791. Description: This elegant, separately-issued,Depot de la Marine chart of the Azores is the first such to employ modern nautical surveys using marine chronometers. The chart is beautifully composed, with nine delicately engraved coastal views. The topography of the islands is depicted with fine hachure, and good anchorages of each of the islands are marked. This chart combines the data of the French hydrographer Charles Pierre Claret, Comte de Fleurieu (July 2, 1738 - August 18, 1810) with that of the Spanish hydrographer Vincente Tofiño de San Miguel (September 6, 1732 - 1795), whose respective surveys represented the first scientific charting of the Azores. It represents a vast improvement upon the 1755 Bellin Carte Reduite des Isles Acores, which until 1791 appears to have represented the best prior French charting of the islands. The main source for the chart's topography and place names is Vincente Tofiño de San Miguel's 1788 Carta esferica de las Islas de los Azores o Terceras, whose detail appears for the most part to be identical to this. A bank between the islands of Tercera and St. Michael has been added, as well as a small island southeast of the Formigues islands spotted by French mariners in 1788. This chart employs rhumb lines where the Tofiño uses latitude & longitude lines. The most significant visual difference between the Tofiño and the Depot are the latter chart's nine beautifully engraved coastal views. These all are far superior to those found on the 1755 Bellin, and show the benefit of more recent survey. Claret de Fleurieu's contributions to the map are dated 1769, during which period he was in command of the frigate Isis, engaged in testing the new, secret, marine chronometers produced by Ferdinand Berthoud in an effort to determine longitude at sea. The chronometers were employed throughout the voyage, which set out from Rochefort in 1768 and made for the Saint Domingue by way of the Azores. The measurements taken of the Azores during this period represented the first, scientific, charting of those islands using modern instrumentation (and proved the efficacy of the French marine chronometers in navigating the transatlantic crossing). Claret de Fleurieu's observations do not appear to have been committed to any prior chart, though they were published in the 1773 Voyage fait par ordre du roi, pour éprouver les horloges marines in which the successful results of several expeditions' tests of the Berthoud chronometers were reported. The French data has been applied to the more recent Spanish chart, and used to confirm the accuracy of both, as is explained in the chart's text (here translated from the French): The slight difference, or rather the agreement, which is found between the results of the observations of M. de Fleurieu and M. Tofino, reported in the table below, assures the position of all these islands with respect to Angra. We have taken the middle between these results to establish their longitude on the map: we have adopted the latitudes given by M. Tofino, and the configuration, as well as the understanding of the islands, has been taken from the map which he has published. Publication History and CensusWe have identified seven examples of this chart in institutional collections. We are not aware of any further issues or changes in state of this chart.Size: Printed area measures 22.25 inches high by 33.25 inches wide. Condition: Very good. Few marginal mends with no loss to printed image. Shipping: Shipping rates are not negotiable. Items are shipped within three business days of receiving payment. We are happy to consolidate shipping where possible. The following shipping options are available: 1. FedEx Overnight (45 USD). USA Only. Signature Required. Customs: International buyers are responsible for paying duty and taxes on delivery. DHL or FedEx will contact the buyer by telephone to arrange tax payment if it is levied. Duty varies by country and we cannot predict the amount you will be charged. Some countries are duty free, others are not. Typically, a customs duty and/or VAT tax will be assessed on all parcels to continental Europe. Sometimes duty or tax is due in China, but is seems very random. Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and Taiwan have never assessed duty on a map we shipped. Maps shipped to the UK should be duty free as educational materials, but from time to time duty of 5% is assessed incorrectly by the UK customs agents. Insurance: All shipments are insured privately against loss and damage. All of our shipments require a signature for insurance purposes. If you have any questions please feel free to email us through eBay. Other Services Conservation Framing: Geographicus recommends basic conservation framing services for any antique paper. We do not offer this service. |
