[The Firth of Murry] - To the Rt Honble, my Lord Viscount Torbat, Lord Register of the Kingdom of Scotland, this map is most humbly dedicated & presented by Capt. G. Collins, Hydroghe. to the King. 1689' This decorative sea chart shows the Moray Firth, with nautical features such as sand banks and ocean depths, between Helmsdale and Burghead. A number of coastal towns are marked, including Inverness, Fortrose, Cromarty, Tarbet Bay and the Cromarty Firth. The map is orientated towards the west.

Date Printed: Published after 1774, possibly in 1792. The atlas within which this map was printed (see provenance) was first published in 1693 with a number of later editions published through the eighteenth century. The publication date stated on the title page of this edition of the atlas is "MDCCLXCII", which is unintelligible and erroneous as it does not conform to standard notation for Roman Numerals. The text within the book from which the map was extracted refers to tidal variations up to the year 1774, hence we state the publication date as after 1774. This edition of the atlas does not appear in the English Short Title Catalogue. The publisher is stated to be "Mount & Davidson", which differs from the publisher of other editions through the early part of the 18th century, which is stated to be "Mount & Page". Mount & Davidson appear to have been active as publishers in the 1780's and early 1790's. A publication date of 1792 (MDCCXCII) would be consistent with stated year of publication if the "L" had been erroneously inserted.

Image Size: Approx 63.5 x 51.0cm, 25 x 20 inches (Large); Please note that this is a folding map.

Type: Decorative antique eighteenth century copperplate nautical sea chart, printed on thick paper

Condition: Good; suitable for framing. There are four small, inconspicuous, wormholes which have been professionally restored. Light damp stain in right hand margin, not extending into the printed area. Light toning.

Verso: There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

Folding: This is a folding map.

Artist/Cartographer/Engraver: Captain Greenvile (or Greenville) Collins. Collins was an officer of the Royal Navy and prominent hydrographer, who was commissioned by King Charles II in 1676 and appointed by Samuel Pepys (then Secretary to the Admiralty), to chart the coasts of Great Britain. The resulting atlas - Great Britain's Coasting Pilot - was the first original sea atlas to be produced by an Englishman. Prior to publication of these maps, nautical charts were often defective, and there was no centralised system for collecting and disseminating the better maps made by experienced seamen. In 1681, Collins gained the king's preferment to survey the country's coasts. The Admiralty supplied Collins with the 8-gun yacht HMS Merlin for the first two years and later the yacht HMS Monmouth until 1686. His work was carried out under the supervision of Trinity House, who also supported the project financially. Samuel Pepys insisted that Collins be made a younger brother of Trinity House. Collins spent seven years on the survey, the first edition of which was published in 1693, as "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot". The charts, while not completely accurate, were an enormous advance on anything before them, entitling Collins to rank as not only one of the earliest, but also among the best of English hydrographers. Twenty-one further editions were published during the eighteenth century.

Provenance: "Great Britain's Coasting Pilot: being a new and exact survey of the sea-coast of England and Scotland from the river of Thames to the westward and northward; with the islands of Scilly and from thence to Carlisle; likewise the islands of Orkney and Shetland, describing all the harbours, rivers, bays, roads, rocks, sands, buoys, beacons, sea-marks, depths of water, latitude, bearings and distances from place to place. The setting and flowing of the tides; with directions for the knowing of any place, and how to harbour a ship in the same with safety. with directions for coming into the Channel between England and France.", by Captain Greenville Collins, Hydrographer in ordinary to the King's most Excellent Majesty. London: printed for Mount and Davidson, on Tower-Hill, MDCCLXCII [sic]

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Good; suitable for framing. There are four small, inconspicuous, wormholes which have been professionally restored. Light damp stain in right hand margin, not extending into the printed area. Light toning.