Des Barres, Joseph Frederick Wallet | The "most splendid collection of charts, plans, and views ever published."

Des Barres, Joseph Frederick Wallet

The Atlantic Neptune, Published for the Use of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, by Joseph F. W. Des Barres Esq. under the Directions of the Right Honble. the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. London, [1774–] 1777–1778 [–1779]

4 volumes, folio (624 x 440 mm, variable; with some multi-sheet folding maps opening to as large as 220 x 80 mm). 2 engraved full-sheet general titles by H. Ashby after T. Tomkins, 3 engraved and one letterpress section titles, 3 engraved key to references leaves, 2 engraved and 2 manuscript contents leaves, 116 engraved charts (many including inset plans, maps, and vignette views) and views and elevations (many with multiple images); charts and views and elevations mostly full-sheet or folding joined multiple sheets, the plans and elevations as well as the principal features of the charts mostly tinted or colored by hand, joins and folds reinforced on versos with contemporary linen, each engraving stamp-numbered in upper fore-edge corner of verso as folded; some foxing, browning, and offsetting, some show-through of sepia wash, a few sheets with marginal tears, fewer with fold separations or wrinkling and creasing. 

Contemporary calf over various marbled boards, spines gilt in eight compartments with black and red morocco labels, plain endpapers and edges; scraped and scuffed, extremities worn with minor loss, some joints broken, but all volumes secure and unshaken. Half brown morocco folding-cases, buckram chemises.

REFERENCE:

National Maritime Museum 3:380; Phillips, Atlases 1198–1205, 3654–3659; Streeter sale 2:706 (this copy); Howes D271; Cohen & Augustyn, Manhattan in Maps 1527–1995, pp.66–69; cf. Hornsby, Surveyors of Empire: Samuel Holland, J.F.W. Des Barres, and the Making of The Atlantic Neptune (McGill-Queen's University Press, 2011)

PROVENANCE:

Thomas W. Streeter (Parke Bernet, 19 April 1967, lot 706)