Catalog Archive
Auction 149, Lot 642

"A Plan of the City and Harbour of Macao a Colony of the Portugueze Situated at the Southern Extremity of the Chinese Empire...", Barrow, John (Sir)

Subject: Macao, China

Period: 1796 (dated)

Publication: An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King … to the Emperor of China

Color: Black & White

Size:
20.8 x 27.4 inches
52.8 x 69.6 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This large chart was part of an account of George Macartney's travels to China. Macartney was Britain's first envoy to China, and was tasked with convincing Emperor Qianlong to ease restrictions on trade between Great Britain and China by allowing the British to have a permanent embassy in the country.

The chart gives very fine detail of the town and harbor. Macao is shown with a key to 36 buildings and places including forts, parishes, colleges, convents and chapels. Terrain is shown as engraved hills and the waters are filled with soundings and notations on type of bottom. The fortified city of Tchinshang is shown well north of Macao. This uncommon map was engraved by B. Braker and published on April, 12, 1796 by George Nicol.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) G.BARR-1a-11.

Condition: B+

On a sturdy sheet with a "J. Whatman" watermark, a few faint spots in the image, and minor offsetting.

Estimate: $600 - $750

Sold for: $375

Closed on 5/21/2014

Archived