A Chart of the Straits of Sunda, with Part of the North Coast of the Island of Java, as far as Batavia

Acquired From: Leen Helmink

Colouring: Coloured

Condition: Very Good

Confirmed: No

Date Acquired: 26/12/2023

Dealers ID No.: 19327

Description: Samuel Dunn was an English mathematician, astronomer, and cartographer renowned for his contributions to navigation and cartography during the eighteenth century. Demonstrating an aptitude for mathematics from a young age, Dunn began teaching by the age of nineteen. He later moved from Devon to London, where he became the master of an academy at Ormond House, Chelsea. This institution, equipped with a sophisticated observatory, enhanced Dunn's teaching and supported his astronomical research.nBy the 1760s, Dunn was a respected astronomer and had published a range of textbooks on mathematics, navigation, and astronomy. Following the publication of the Nautical Almanac, Dunn was appointed as a certifier of shipmasters for the Board of Longitude, evaluating navigators' proficiency under the new system. He performed similar work for the English East India Company, producing charts of the East Indies and contributing to the advancement of maritime navigation.nDuring his tenure as a hydrographer and nautical examiner for the English East India Companya position he held from 1774 until his death in 1794Dunn produced a chart of the Sunda Strait, a crucial maritime passage between the islands of Sumatra and Java in Indonesia. The chart is notable for its meticulous detail, including depth soundings, safe anchorages, and coastal profiles, which made it an invaluable resource for navigators of the time.nThis later undated edition of the chart retained the detailed navigational information of the original, but omits the date and publisher's information. Instead it includes the note: N.B. Pulo or Po is a Malay word signifying an island.nFollowing Dunns death in 1794, his extensive collection of books and mapscomprising over 1,000 lotswas auctioned by Sothebys. Many of these items were acquired by Alexander Dalrymple, hydrographer for the English East India Company and the first head of the British Hydrographic Office.

First published: Separate Publication.

Image Size (cm): 59×44

Mapmaker: Dunn, Samuel (bap.1723-1794)

Notes: Purchase details

Other states: First (1774)

Price: 550

Primary Category: Sea Charts

Purchase Reference: Ledger

Rarity: R1 Extremely rare – occasionally seen on the market

Sheet size (cm): 54×74

Technique: Copper Engraving

This state: 1795