John & Carington Bowles
A Map of Asia, 1770
20 x 21 ½ in
51 x 55 cm
51 x 55 cm
Large and surprisingly accurate map of Asia, extending from Arabia across to Japan and Indonesia. Areas frequented by the English and French, particularly India, are quite accurate, while areas without...
Large and surprisingly accurate map of Asia, extending from Arabia across to Japan and Indonesia. Areas frequented by the English and French, particularly India, are quite accurate, while areas without much of an English or French presence, such as Japan and the Philippines are still quite rough in their geography.
A table in the lower-left corner explains the political divisions of Asia, and also lists the European colonies in India. Small blocks of text scattered across the map provide a fascinating insight into what was known to the English at this time. For example, a small note in the Gobi Desert says that "here are the speulchres of Genghis Khan's family", while another note east of the Philippines decribes the capture of the Manila Galleon by George Anson in 1747.
Original hand-colour. [AS1216]
A table in the lower-left corner explains the political divisions of Asia, and also lists the European colonies in India. Small blocks of text scattered across the map provide a fascinating insight into what was known to the English at this time. For example, a small note in the Gobi Desert says that "here are the speulchres of Genghis Khan's family", while another note east of the Philippines decribes the capture of the Manila Galleon by George Anson in 1747.
Original hand-colour. [AS1216]
