DESCRIPTION: Scarce and complete atlas of 37 large-scale 10" x 7" antique engraved Mediterranean port and harbor plans by French hydrographers and galley (galère, Fr.) pilot Henry Michelot and Laurens Bremond.
[ Browse all 37 charts here ]
This 12" x 8" atlas, published ca. 1730 was the culmination of Henry Michelot's career; the result of at least 40 years experience as pilot of the Reale, premier vessel in the galley service of Louis XIV and XV. These charts are influenced by and bear similarities to a set of manuscript charts published by Michelot from Marseille around 1689 but are updated to reflect his cumulative experience over the intervening 40 years. With an elaborately engraved title page. Some charts engraved by Peter Starck-man.
This 290-year old sea atlas contains port plans from France, Italy, and Spain including Barcelona, Antibe, Mayorca, Bay of Naples, Bay of Gibraltar, and Cadiz. Several of these charts (e.g. Cadiz, Gibraltar) were considered to be the most authoritative works of that era and were copied by others including Thomas Kitchin well into the mid 18th century.
For more information on the life and works of Henry Michelot and his business partner Bremond see our brief illustrated biography.
Henry Michelot and Laurens Bremond
Henri Michelot was an early 18th century French cartographer with a close connection to the sea. Michelot, self-described Hydrographer and Pilot of the Galere Royale or Royal Galley, was then part of a corps of approximately 40 galleys (galeres) or oared sailing vessels stationed in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast. In the Mediterranean, galleys were based primarily at the arsenal in Marseilles, France. Galleys were typically rigged with the triangular Mediterranean "Lateen" sail(s).
Bookseller and royal hydrographer Laurent Bremond "Hydrographe du Roi et de la Ville" sold charts and maritime books from his establishment in Marseille located near the port at the corner of Reboul street ( "au Coin de Reboul").
The output of Michelot and Bremond, from approximately 1715 through 1730 consisted of an atlas of 16 small-scale charts, a port book of 37 large-scale charts, and a coast pilot of the Mediterranean: "Portulan de la Mer Mediterranee, ou Guide des Pilotes Cotiers." Their work (the "Portulan" was published in several languages at least until 1805) and was a primary source of navigational information about the Mediterranean for years. The charts of Michelot and Bremond were often copied by others such as Kitchin and Roux.
PUBLICATION DATE: 1730
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Mediterranean
BODY OF WATER: Mediterranean
CONDITION: Good
Pages are slightly age toned- uniformly except title page more browned at far right, as usual. No stains, tears, wormholes, foxing, or damage. Thick, chain-laid paper. Original leather boards (12"x8") , stained and worn; beginning to separate at binding otherwise binding good with tight pages. Impression and platemark strong with good margins as issued. Six compartment spine cracking and missing one compartment.
COLORING: None
ENGRAVER: P. Starck-man
SIZE: 10
" x
7 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 0
PRICE: $6500
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