Acquired From: Gowrie Galleries
Colouring: Uncoloured
Condition: Very Good
Confirmed: 28/09/2024
Date Acquired: 9/10/2002
Dealers ID No.: M468 (STK 1329.01)
Description: John Thornton was a prominent English chartmaker and publisher who played a pivotal role in developing navigational guides for English maritime expansion. He began his career in 1656 as an apprentice to John Burston in the Drapers Company, where he developed his skills in manuscript chart-making. By 1673, Thornton had transitioned to producing printed charts, publishing his first three that year. nIn 1677, Thornton partnered with William Fisher and others assist John Seller continue his chart publishing business. Seller recognized Englands need for its own navigational guides and aimed to create a comprehensive collection of sea charts and sailing directions, initiating The English Pilot series. While the first two volumes were successfully released in 1671 and 1675, respectively, Seller struggled to maintain consistent production, resulting in delays and incomplete works. To advance the project he enlisted several partners. Together, they began publishing The English Pilot, intending to provide a reliable English alternative to Dutch sea charts.nSeller's financial troubles however precluded any further editions, and the partnership dissolved in 1681. Thornton retained some of Seller's materials and develop his own publishing venture, which included expanding the scope of The English Pilot. In 1689, he released The English Pilot;The Fourth Book, the first English sea atlas devoted to the English colonies in North America and the West Indies. In 1703, he published The English Pilot. The Third BookOriental Navigation, the first printed English sea atlas of Southeast Asia and the East Indies. nThis map is from The Third Book. It documents the Dutch discoveries on the western coast of New Holland (todays Australia) including those of including those by Dirk Hartog (1616), although it is mistakenly dated as 1628 with the label "The land of Endracht discovered Anno 1628 by the Dutch" [sic]. Other significant discoveries include Frederik de Houtman in 1619, Jan van Leeuwin in 1622, and Gerrit Frederikszoon de Witt in 1628. The map also features an inset detailing William Dampier's discoveries at Shark Bay, including depth soundings of the surrounding waters. Drawing on his extensive maritime experience, first as a buccaneer and later as an explorer in the Pacific on the Cygnet in 1686, Dampier received a royal commission in 1699 to explore the Far East aboard the HMS Roebuck. He landed on Australias west coast in August 1699 at Shark Bay, which he surveyed extensively, though not completely. He then sailed north, conducting additional surveys along the west coast, and these depth soundings are noted on Thornton's map.nAfter Thorntons death in early 1708, his son Samuel issued an edition of the Third Book in 1711. The second edition of this map is identified by the changed imprint to Samuel Thornton. Following his death in 1715, the Third Book became the property of Richard Mount and Thomas Page who issued eight editions between 1716 and 1761.
First published: The English Pilot: The Third Book … the Oriental Navigation. Vol. 3. London: John Thornton, 1703.
Image Size (cm): 39.6×20.2
Mapmaker: Thornton, John (1641-1708)
Price: A20,000 plus gst
Primary Category: Southern Continent
Purchase Reference: Inv. 1309. Letter 2 Sept 2002
Rarity: R3 Uncommon – dealers can usually obtain a copy
References: Tooley Mapping Australia and Antarctic 1260
Technique: Copper Engraving
This state: 1743
Website: Click here
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