Hydrographical Office, British Admiralty
Coast of South America from the River of the Amazons to the Bay of Panama [thus titled on letterpress contents]. London: Hydrographical Office, various dates and sizes, 1807-1819.
Apparently published, yet unrecorded, collection of maritime charts of South America by the Hydrographical Office under the authority of Capt Thomas Hurd (c.1757-1823). The earliest charts are dated 1807 and 1808, and are published under the name of Alexander Dalrymple, the Hydrographer of the Royal Navy 1795-1808. After his death in office, Dalrymple was succeeded by Hurd, who professionalized the office and increased its efficiency. The printed letterpress contents leaf mounted on the front pastedown suggests these charts were published as a collected volume, reinforced by the fact that it calls this ‘Vol. I’, although we have not been able to trace a similar set of charts, let alone multiple volumes. The letterpress contents leaf omits Plan of the Channel formed by the English and Archimedes Banks which has been added in ink manuscript by a contemporary hand, as have chart numbers.

Quarto (329 x 325mm). 18 engraved charts of South American waters, of which 7 double-page and 2 double-page and folding (variable light spotting, browning and staining). Contemporary marbled-paper covered boards (rebacked and recornered).

Geoffrey Ingleton (bookplate; not in A Catalogue of Select Books from the Ingleton Collection) – Lt Cdr Andrew David (bookplate).

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The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.

The overall condition of the atlas is very good, as described in the main cataloguing, and is commensurate with age, use and materials. Here follows an individual chart listing with condition notes:

1. Sketch of St Paul's Rocks 330 x 240mm 10 March 1815 faint browning
2. Plan and view of the island of Fernando Noronha 330 x 390mm 11 April 1811 double-page, faint browning and offsetting
3. The bay and harbour of St Luiz 330 x 245mm 12 April 1814 faint insignificant browning
4. Brazil from Vankeulen 318 x 670mm 28 July 1812 double-page and folding, faint browning
5. The harbour and road of Pernambuco 330 x 250mm 8 Sept 1817 light staining to top-right corner
6. The harbour of Bahia or St. Salvador 330 x 248mm 15 Nov 1816 light staining to top-right corner
7. Flamingo Bay or Shark Roads 255 x 330mm 29 Oct 1817 light staining to top-right corner
8. Plan of the Channel formed by the English and Archimedes Banks 3230 x 460mm 16 Aug 1819 double-page, faint browning, staining mostly confined to margin
9. Sketch of the islands of Flores 327 x 975mm 11 April 1808 Dalrymple chart, double page and folding, lightly browned, includes a view of the harbour of Montevideo
10. Plan of the port of the Portuguese port of Colonia del Sacrimento 330 x 480mm 4 Aug 1807 Dalrymple chart, double page lightly browned and spotted
11. The port of St Elena on the coast of Patagonia 330 x 470mm 4 Jan 1819 double-page, faint insignificant browning
12. The harbour of Valdivia 450 x 330mm 15 May 1819 double-page, faint browning and staining
13. The harbour of Valparaiso 330 x 455mm 10 Oct 1817 double-page, faint insignificant browning and staining
14. The bay of Coquimbo and Port Herradura 330 x 435mm 11 Nov 1817 double-page, light staining to top-right corner, some faint offsetting
15. The road of Arica 330 x 240mm 19 Sept 1817 faint browning
16. The road of Ilo 330 x 230mm 18 Oct 1817 light staining to top-right corner
17. The port of Pisco 330 x 230mm 15 Sept 1817 light staining to top-right corner, browning
18. The port of Acapulco 235 x 330mm 4 Nov 1818 light staining to top-right corner, faint browning

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