John Arrowsmith
London / 1842
19 x 23.5 inches
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Fine example of John Arrowsmith's map of Egypt, from his London Atlas.
Includes significant details along the Nile, caravan and trade routes, etc. Interesting notes include "Desert of Moving Sands," "Djewaby Arabs" and "Camel Breeders for the Esneh Market."
Arrowsmith's map is one of the best commercial atlas maps of the period and benefits from many contemporary sources.
John Arrowsmith Biography
The Arrowsmiths were a cartographic dynasty which operated from the late-eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth. The family business was founded by Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1823), who was renowned for carefully prepared and meticulously updated maps, globes, and charts. He created many maps that covered multiple sheets and which were massive in total size. His spare yet exacting style was recognized around the world and mapmakers from other countries, especially the young country of the United States, sought his maps and charts as exemplars for their own work.
Aaron Arrowsmith was born in County Durham in 1750. He came to London for work around 1770, where he found employment as a surveyor for the city's mapmakers. By 1790, he had set up his own shop which specialized in general charts. Arrowsmith had five premises in his career, most of which were located on or near Soho Square, a neighborhood the led him to rub shoulders with the likes of Joseph Banks, the naturalist, and Matthew Flinders, the hydrographer.
Through his business ties and employment at the Hydrographic Office, Arrowsmith made other important relationships with Alexander Dalrymple, the Hudson's Bay Company, and others entities. In 1810 he became Hydrographer to the Prince of Wales and, in 1820, Hydrographer to the King.
Aaron Arrowsmith died in 1823, whereby the business and title of Hydrographer to the King passed to his sons, Aaron and Samuel, and, later, his nephew, John. Aaron Jr. (1802-1854) was a founder member of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and left the family business in 1832; instead, he enrolled at Oxford to study to become a minister. Samuel (1805-1839) joined Aaron as a partner in the business and they traded together until Aaron left for the ministry. Samuel died at age 34 in 1839; his brother presided over his funeral. The remaining stock and copper plates were bought at auction by John Arrowsmith, their cousin.
John (1790-1873) operated his own independent business after his uncle, Aaron Arrowsmith Sr., died. After 1839, John moved into the Soho premises of his uncle and cousins. John enjoyed considerable recognition in the geography and exploration community. Like Aaron Jr., John was a founder member of the RGS and would serve as its unofficial cartographer for 43 years. Several geographical features in Australia and Canada are named after him. He carried the title Hydrographer to Queen Victoria. He died in 1873 and the majority of his stock was eventually bought by Edward Stanford, who co-founded Stanford's map shop, which is still open in Covent Garden, London today.
Antique Maps / Africa / Egypt
Charte von Aegypten Nach astronomischen Beobachtungen, den Reisen von Niebuhr, Norden, u a. m. den durch die Franzossen, von ihren neuen Entdekungen, bis jezt keannt gemachten Nachrichten, vorzuglich nach der Herren Bruns u Hartmann . . . 1800.
Detailed map of Egypt adn the Nile River to just South of Assuan, published by the Homann Heirs.
Vue de la Ville du Grand Caire, et de ses Environs
Antique engraved view of Cairo, with several supporting vignettes, from the famous Atlas Historique of Henri Chatelain, published in Amsterdam in between 1705 and 1720.
Aegyptus Hodierna Ex itinerario Celeberrimi viri Pauli Lucae, Franci desumta ac novissime repraesentata
Nice full color example of Homann's decorative map of Egypt.
Highly detailed map of Egypt, following the Nile as far south as Asouan and Shelalat and including the Oasis of Magna, Oasis of Parva and other remarkable fine details. Includes the Gulf of Suez, Red Sea and Gulf of Acaba.
Charte vom Nil-Strome oder Aegyptien, Nubien und Habesch. . . 1806
First edition of this scarce map of Egypt and Abyssinia, which was later copied in a pirated edition published in Prague.
Description de la Ville d'Alexandrie et des Antiquites Remarquables qu'on y voit
A magnificent panoramic view of the great Egyptian port city of Alexandria accompanied by detailed views of the ruins of Cleopatra's palace, the Obelisk of Alexandria, and "the interior construction of towers." The images are keyed to the surrounding text descriptions.