This very large 3
sheet joined copper-plate engraved original antique map
of South America was engraved by Thomas Bowen in 1755 -
the date is engraved at the foot of the map - and was
published by Solomon Bolton for Malachy Postlethweyt's 2
Volumes publication of Dictionary of Trade & Commerce
published in 1757.
The cartographical detail was borrowed from the same
Jean-Baptiste
Bourguinon D'Anville map published in the 1760 edition
of his large elephant folio atlas Atlas Generale.
This map from the
second edition of this famous dictionary, based in part
on the Dictionaries universel de Commerce (Paris:
1723-30) of Jacques Savary de Bruslon, under whose name
it is often catalogued, but was adapted by Postlethwayt
for a British audience, with substantial enlargements
and improvements, and entirely new material relating to
England and her colonies. Postlethwayt devoted twenty
years to the preparation of the dictionary, which was
first published in 1751-55. The dictionary included a
description of British affairs in North America since
the peace of 1763. As with his other works, the
dictionary demonstrates Postlethway’s deep commitment to
the expansion and strengthening of English trade.
Included are entries for geographical locations (Africa,
Antilles, Canada, Japan, Louisiana, &c.), products
(brandy, cardamom, codfish, diamonds, sugar, &c.),
trading companies (Dutch East India Company, English
African Company, &c.), treaties of commerce, and a vast
range of other information of value to merchants
(bankruptcy, currency, bills of exchange, brokerage,
exportation, landed interest, privateering, &c.).
The Dictionary is also important for containing almost
the whole substance of Richard Cantillon’s Essay on
Commerce, its first appearance in print (see Henry
Higgs’1931 edition and translation of Cantillon). The
substantial maps, engraved by T.Kitchin and R.S.Seale
after J.B.B. D’Anville and S.Bolton, depict Europe (4
sheets), Asia (8 sheets), North America (4 sheets),
South America (3 sheets), and Africa (3 sheets).
(Ref: Tooley; M&B)
General Description:
Paper thickness and
quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color: - white
Age of map color: - Early & later
Colors used: - Yellow, green, pink, blue
General color appearance: - Authentic
Paper size: - 51 1/2in x 31 1/2in (1.31mm x 800mm)
Plate size: - 48 1/2in x 30 1/2in (1.23mm x 770mm)
Margins: - min. 1in (25m)
Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Folds as issued, light creasing along
folds
Verso: - None
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