A Dutch Chart of the Gulf of Tongkin and the South China Sea, including the Coastlines of Southern China, and the Islands of Hainan, Formosa [Taiwan], Luzon [Philippines], and Batavia, Java

Details

Dutch School, first half of the 18th century
A Dutch Chart of the Gulf of Tongkin and the South China Sea, including the Coastlines of Southern China, and the Islands of Hainan, Formosa [Taiwan], Luzon [Philippines], and Batavia, Java
four joined sheets, verso blank, coastlines heightened in green, province names and major towns in sepia, major islands in red, numerous rhumblines based on a central compass rose, two inset detailed plans of the Pearl River to Canton, and an anchorage on the North Vietnam coast near Apelle island, three scale bars (two within each inset), important forts, beacons, batteries and flag stations depicted by symbols, numerous symbols representing cliffs, navigational obstructions and sandbars, central latitudinal graticule and tropic of Cancer ruled in red, inscribed '1759 / Verbeterde, Raast van / de Pracelles tot Canton' on the reverse
pen, sepia, black and red inks and watercolour on paper
31 ¾ x 41 ½in. (80.6 x 105.3cm.)

Provenance

Anon. sale, Christie’s Swire, Hong Kong, 26 Sept. 1989, lot 1070.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Sale room notice

Please note that the map is sold unframed, and is therefore sold zero-rated for VAT purposes. The lot should therefore have a theta symbol in the catalogue, and no VAT is payable on either the premium or hammer price. Please note also that this lot is printed on four joined sheets of paper and not as stated in the printed catalogue.

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Lot Essay

A RARE SURVIVING EXAMPLE OF DUTCH CARTOGRAPHY PROBABLY DRAWN UP BY THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY (VOC) CHARTMAKERS AT BATAVIA IN JAVA
The increase in VOC trading in the East in the first half of the 18th century resulted in an increase in cartographers in Batavia from seven in 1700 to forty in 1740. The quality and relative accuracy of the chart reflect the highest skills of the VOC chartmakers in the East. This chart is particularly interesting as it has a number of later annotations in freehand, especially around the Pearl River, the chart being inscribed 'Verbeterde ... [improved ...]' on the reverse. The efforts of the VOC to update their charts by their captains and other users is well known, and contributed to their domination of the European trade in the East in the 18th century.

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