Das Vorgebirg der Guten Hofnung Verfasst von Herrn L.S. de la Rochette Neu Herausgegeben von Herrn. F.A. Schraembl.
1789 (dated) 20.5 x 14 in (52.07 x 35.56 cm)
An attractive example of Louis Stanislas d'Arcy Delarochette's important 1789 map of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. The map covers from the fictional Klipping Island and St. Helena Bay south as far as False Bay (Valsbaai), Cape Hangklip, and Cape Peninsula, and eastward to the Drakenstein Mountains. This map was first issued by Faden in 1782, the present example being a 1789 reissue by the Austrian publisher, F.A. Schraembl. This beautifully engraved map features relief pictorially and names various Kraals (villages), fountains, river crossings and even the names of some early Dutch settlers. There are numerous depth soundings, in fathoms, in False Bay, Tsable Bay, and Saldanha Bay. The Cape Town settlement is noted as is the notorious prison, Robben Island. A fascinating title cartouche in the upper right quadrant depicts europeans fighting miniature elephants with spears – a nice idea but not advisable with a real elephant. Unlike most maps this was published as a broadside by both Faden and Schraembl.
Louis Stanislaw d'Arcy Delarochette (1731 - 1802) was a British cartographer active in London, England in the late 18th century. Dealrochette produced numerous maps in conjunction with various other contemporary British cartographers including Faden, Jefferys, Laurie and Whittle, Arrowsmith, and Bowles. Delarochette is best known for his monumental eight sheet map of South America, which was used to settle numerous border disputes throughout the continent. He also produced an influential map of the Cape of Good Hope.
Franz Anton Schraembl (1751-1803) was a Vienna based cartographer working in the later part of the 18th century. Schraembl was partnered with Joseph von Reilly. His great work, the Allgemeiner Grosser Atlas was started in 1786. This ambitious atlas was to be based upon only the most up-to-date cartographic information available. Schraembl derived his maps from the work of cartographers like D'Anville and explorers such as Cook, Roberts, and others. The atlas was finally finished in 1800 but, possibly restricted by its high production cost, enjoyed only relatively minimal circulation.
Good condition. Overall toning. Extremely wide margins. Some wear horizontally across center - see image.
Tooley, R.V., Collectors's Guide to Maps of the African Continent and Southern Africa, p. 42, pl.30. Phillips, P.L. (Atlases) 694-53. Norwich, O.I., Norwich's Maps of Africa: An Illustrated and Annotated Cartobibliography, 225. Schrire, D. The Cape of Good Hope 1782-1842, 5.