Acquired From: Gowrie Galleries
Colouring: Coloured
Condition: Good
Confirmed: No
Dealers ID No.: M937 (STK 1846.01)
Description: In 1805, when this map Generalcharte von Australien nach dem Entwurfe des H. Joseph Marx Freiherrn v. Liechtenstern (General Map of Australia Based on the Design by H. Joseph Marx Freiherr von Liechtenstern) was published, it was still widely speculated that Australia might be divided by an internal sea, potentially separating the east coast from the rest of the landmass.nThis theory persisted despite the groundbreaking discovery by Matthew Flinders and George Bass in 1798, which proved the existence of a strait dividing Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) from mainland Australia. Swobodas map reflects this lingering uncertainty, drawing a speculative line from the bottom of Carpentaria to the eastern part of present-day Victoria. This line served a dual purpose: it represented the potential division of the continent by an internal sea and marked the boundary of English territory in the fledgling colonies, which were only 17 years old at the time.nNotably absent from the map is the southern coastline of Australia. Although Flinders had mapped the entire southern region by 1803, he was under house arrest on the island of Mauritius by the French in 1805 and was unable to publish his findings until 1814. As a result, the map omits these critical details, reflecting the incomplete state of geographic knowledge at the time.nThe map highlights the Pacific Islands alongside Australia, which is labelled "Neu Holland vormals Ulimaroa" (New Holland, formerly Ulimaroa) on its western half and "Neu Süd Wales oder die englische Stadthalterschaft Sydney Cove" (New South Wales or the English Governorship Sydney Cove) on its eastern half. Tasmania is shown as a separate island, divided from the mainland by Bass Strait, and notable features include Kängurus I. (Kangaroo Island) and Geographen Bay (Geographe Bay). The map captures both the evolving understanding of Australia's geography.
First published: Vienna: Vienna, Kunst- und Industrie-Comptoirs, 1805
Image Size (cm): 49.5×67.5
Mapmaker: Liechtenstern, H. Joseph Marx von
Notes: Need purchase details (year)
Price: A2,550 plus gst
Primary Category: Asia-Pacific
Purchase Reference: Insurance Ledger June 2015
References: Clancy, 100, map 6.39. Tooley, 1214.
Sheet size (cm): 62.5×81.2
Technique: Copper Engraving
This state: 1805
Website: Click here
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