Western

1846 · Best.-Nr. 25916 — Paris: French Admiralty chart 1846. Very rare early map of the south west coast of Western Australia just 17 years after the founding of the colony. The map covers much of the Western Australian coast from the Dampier Archipelago in the north Broome Exmouth Gulf Shark Bay Perth Geographe Bay Cape Leeuwin Albany all the way to Port Lincoln in South Australia. To our knowledge the only copy held in an Australian institution is at the State Library of Western Australia. It is not recorded in the collection of National Library of Australia collection nor other Australian institutions. It is very interesting for the early inland detail. The areas around Perth and Fremantle are shown extending inland to Beverley York Bejoording Toodjoy and Northam on the Swan River with the Swan Avon & Moore Rivers. There are 4 insets: Plan de la entree de la Riviere Cygnes Swan River et de l'Ile Rottnest J. L. Stokes; Plan de Port Grey nomme aussi Baie Champion Captain Wickham Plan du Havre Peel dans la Baie Warnbro Lieut. J. S. Roe Plan de la Baie Warnbro J.S. Roe. Coastal features include Baie de l'Esperence; Houtmann's Abrolhos; Albany north east of Albany a mountain described as "Montagne escarpee visible a 10 lieues"; Golfe Exmouth with a prominent Cape Nord Ouest. Depth soundings are taken all around the coast. Daussy maps are rare. The State Library of Western Australia holds two. Their copy of this map bears the "Prix deux francs" lower right; with an applied printed chart sellers label from P. Sauvat Bordeaux below the rule on the lower right. They also hold the following: "Carte des mers Australes partie comprise entre les méridiens du Cap de Bonne Espérance et du Port du Roi Georges" cartographic material / dressée par M. Daussy Ingénieur Hydrographe en Chef ; gravé par Jacobs ; écrit par J.M. Hacq. MAPR0000018. This map is recorded as Tooley 1470 and Libraries Australia ID 23501679 which calls it "Rare". Centered below the margin - Ecrit de J. M. Hacq Grave par Jacobs lower left Noo. 1111 in upper right margin. Printed area 34.5 x 23.25" with very large margins 40 1/4 x 27 1/2". Backed with tissue on the center fold and margin edges supporting some small closed tears. In magnificent condition overall. An extremely rare map especially in this condition. French Admiralty chart unknown