Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Bellin was an important maker of charts for the French Depot de la Marine. He was born in Paris in 1703 and educated as an engineer. He produced many important charts and published them individually and in compilations. The Neptune Francais was published in 1753 and the Hydrographie Francaise in 1756. His largest and most comprehensive work is the Petit Atlas Maritime with 581 charts (our copy has 582, including the rare "Carte Reduite des Decouvertes des Russe Entre L'Asie et L'Amerique.") that cover the coasts and important port cities of the known world. The Petit Atlas Maritime is probably the best compilation of plans of maritime towns and harbors of its time. Bellin died in Versailles in 1772. According to Tooley, Bellin issued an earlier version of this atlas in 1763 titled Petit Atlas Francois. The Duc de Choiseul provided financial support for the publication of the atlas. J. Arrivet is listed as engraver on the chart index pages and may also have engraved the charts themselves.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
The captain of the British ship Flora, William Peere Williams, has made notes on this chart about the battle with the French ship Nymphe: "Off the island Molene the Flora engaged the Nymphe the 10th of Augt. 1780 and captured her. His Majesty's Frigate commanded by Capt. W.P. Williams and the French Frigate la Nymphe by Capt. Du Rumain, each of 36 guns." From J.F. Letenneur: "Exceptional onboard document of this rare and fabulous maritime atlas, a masterpiece by the greatest French hydrographer of the 18th century, with maps of all the coastlines known at the time. Bound with the coat of arms of the King of France, the atlas was taken by the English aboard the frigate la Nymphe, off the coasts of Ushant August 10, 1780, during one of the naval battles of the American War of Independence which took place on European waters. In the context of the war at the end of the 18th century, and of the rivalry between the French and British Navy, maritime atlases, were strategic tools, and this “Hydrographie Françoise” more so than any other, because its purpose was to provide the best maritime charts for the French ships that were fighting on the American side against the British. (The handwritten captions throughout most of the atlas are prices for individual maps and all include the same mention: “for sailors”). These atlases were not the kind to be kept in a library, but precious tools, based on the observations of the travelers and continuously improved upon, as reflect in the present copy. It was bound with the engraved title page of the edition of 1737-1765, but the index includes maps printed after 1765 (until 1772), and the copy was augmented by six maps that do not appear in the index (until 1776), as well as 14 pages of text from the Versailles edition of 1773. The later maps are signed by Verdun de la Crenne and were done during the campaigns of the Flore (1771-1772) and of the Isis led by Fleurieu in 1768-1769. The captions explain that the maps were created using the latest technology of the day that could measure longitude (maritime clocks)." (Continued in the Pub Note field).
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Depth shown by soundings. Shows settlements.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Depth shown by soundings. Shows settlements.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially. Shows towns and ports.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially. Shows coastline, settlements, rivers, etc. Prime meridian is Paris. At head of map: Tome IV. No. 49. et Tome V. No. 2.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially. Depth shown by soundings. Shows coastline, settlements, etc. At head of map: Tome IV. No. 48. et Tome V. No. 56.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown by hachures, and pictorially. Depth shown by soundings. Shows entrance to the Kourou River.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown by hachures, and pictorially. Depth shown by soundings. Prime meridian is Paris.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown by hachures, and pictorially. Depth shown by soundings. Shows mouth of Maroni River in South America.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown by hachures. Depth shown by soundings. Prime meridian is Paris.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Relief shown pictorially and by hachures. Depth shown by soundings. Shows settlements.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially and by hachures. Depth shown by soundings.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially. Depth shown by soundings. Show the entrance to the Mississippi Delta in detail.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown pictorially. Shows the United States west to Santa Fe.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Decorative title cartouche. Relief shown by hachures. Depths shown by soundings.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
Note
Depth shown by soundings.
Author
Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772
|