Southeast Asia

Description: Antique print, titled: 'A Large Draught from Benjar on the Island of Borneo To Macasser on the Island of Celebes Shewing the Streight of Bally with the Islands to the Eastward thereof.' Rare early example of this working English Sea Chart of part of Indondesia, extending from the Northwest corner of Borneo near Banjarmasin, to Java and Bali in the Southwest, 't Land van Floris' in the southeast, and Celebes in the northeast. The chart includes extensive soundings, rhumblines and a compass rose. Thornton's chart depicts the Java Sea, in the heart of the Indonesian Archipelago. By the 18th century this area was well-known to mariners, having been extensively explored first by the Portuguese and later by agents of the Dutch East India Company. East Java is depicted in the lower left corner, and further east are the islands of Bali and Lombok. Following the chain are the islands of Flores and Sumbawa. Kalimantan and Borneo are depicted in the upper right of the map, and on the far right side is Celebes, on which the handsome title cartouche is featured. The sea is elegantly traversed by rhumb lines that radiate from compass roses. Source unknown, to be determined.

Artists and Engravers: Made by an anonymous engraver after 'Samuel Thornton'. In 1671, the London cartographer John Seller (fl.1664-97) commenced work on The English Pilot , a work that intended to challenge Dutch hegemony in the sea atlas market. Intended to be published in four books covering different regions of the globe, Seller published an uncompleted book on 'Oriental navigation' in 1675. Unable to continue this Herculean endeavour, Seller sold his rights to John Thornton, the official hydrographer to the English East India Company. Thornton took up the project with great fervour, publishing his first editions in 1689. Thornton did not publish his first edition of the Third Book, detailing navigation in the East Indies, until 1703. While Thornton largely based his charts on those of earlier Dutch cartographers, most notably those found in Pieter Goos' Zee-Spiegel and Lucas Janz Waghenaer's Mariner's Mirror, The English Pilot proved to be enormously popular. When John Thornton died in 1708, his brother Samuel took over the business and added to and modified existing charts. All four books were produced in editions until the 1760s. The Third Book ran into twelve editions up to 1761. The project succeeded in giving the English dominance in the sea chart market as the eighteenth-century progressed.

• Date: 1711
• Technic: Copperplate engraving / etching on hand laid paper.
• Overall size: 22,8 x 19,1 inch
• Image size: 21 x 17,1 inch
• Condition: Good, given age. Margins with a few small tears and some spots, all outside image area. Original middle fold as issued. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.
• PartNumber: 58064
• Storage Location: BG-B5-40

Description: Antique print, titled: 'A Marchant of Java.' - This plate shows a merchant from Java, Indonesia. It originally accompanied J. Nieuhof's account of his 'Voyages and Travels to the East-Indies' in the 17th century. Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672) was a Dutch traveller who wrote about his journeys to Brazil, China, India and the East-Indies. His notes and illustrations were published by Jacob van Meurs in 1665 and this English edition was included in 'Churchill's Voyages and Travels' (3rd edition 1744).

From: Churchill's 'A Collection of Voyages and Travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts others now first printed in English', printed in 1744 for Henry Lintot and John Osborn.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Johan Nieuhof' after an anonymous artist. Johan / Jan / Johannes Nieuhof / Nieuhoff / Neuhof (1618-1672) was a Dutch traveler who wrote about his journeys to Brazil, China and India. The most famous of these was a trip of 2,400 km from Canton to Peking in 1655-1657 as part of a Dutch envoy, which enabled him to become an authoritative Western writer on China. Johan Nieuhof was born in Uelsen, Germany, of which his father (originally from Zwolle) was mayor. Nieuhof left for Brazil in 1640 as a reserve officer-candidate - from then on, barring two short family visits in 1658 and 1671, he spent all the rest of his life abroad. After an adventurous career in the service of the Dutch East India Company (or VOC) - between 1660 and 1667 he occupied posts in India and on Ceylon - he then lived in Batavia until 1670. He then disappeared without trace on Madagascar, traveling in a sloop from which he had landed to seek drinking water. The engravings are made after Nieuhoff's drawings.

• Date: 1744
• Technic: Engraving / etching on hand laid (verge) paper.
• Overall size: 8,3 x 13,6 inch
• Image size: 6,7 x 11,1 inch
• Condition: Good, given age. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.
• PartNumber: 61645
• Storage Location: BG-B16-15 ISCRA

Description: Antique print, titled: 'A Souldier of Amboina.' - This plate shows a soldier from Ambon, Maluku Islands, Indonesia. It originally accompanied J. Nieuhof's account of his 'Voyages and Travels to the East-Indies' in the 17th century. Johan Nieuhof (1618-1672) was a Dutch traveller who wrote about his journeys to Brazil, China, India and the East-Indies. His notes and illustrations were published by Jacob van Meurs in 1665 and this English edition was included in 'Churchill's Voyages and Travels' (3rd edition 1744).

From: Churchill's 'A Collection of Voyages and Travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts others now first printed in English', printed in 1744 for Henry Lintot and John Osborn.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'Johan Nieuhof' after an anonymous artist. Johan / Jan / Johannes Nieuhof / Nieuhoff / Neuhof (1618-1672) was a Dutch traveler who wrote about his journeys to Brazil, China and India. The most famous of these was a trip of 2,400 km from Canton to Peking in 1655-1657 as part of a Dutch envoy, which enabled him to become an authoritative Western writer on China. Johan Nieuhof was born in Uelsen, Germany, of which his father (originally from Zwolle) was mayor. Nieuhof left for Brazil in 1640 as a reserve officer-candidate - from then on, barring two short family visits in 1658 and 1671, he spent all the rest of his life abroad. After an adventurous career in the service of the Dutch East India Company (or VOC) - between 1660 and 1667 he occupied posts in India and on Ceylon - he then lived in Batavia until 1670. He then disappeared without trace on Madagascar, traveling in a sloop from which he had landed to seek drinking water. The engravings are made after Nieuhoff's drawings.

• Date: 1744
• Technic: Engraving / etching on hand laid (verge) paper.
• Overall size: 8,3 x 13,6 inch
• Image size: 6,7 x 11,2 inch
• Condition: Good, given age. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.
• PartNumber: 61644
• Storage Location: BG-B16-15 ISCRA

Description: Antique print Indonesia titled 'Amboina'. Beautiful view of Ambon, Indonesia. With several ships in the foreground. This print originates from 'Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën' by F. Valentijn. 

Artists and Engravers: The author François Valentijn (1666-1727), was a Dutch missionary, worked at Amboina from 1684 to 1694 and 1705 to 1713 and traveled extensively in the VOC's lands.

• Date: 1726
• Overall size: 80 x 34 cm.
• Image size: 45 x 29 cm.
• Condition: Very good, general age-related toning and some foxing. Please study image carefully.