Original 1856 Sea Chart by the United States Hydrographical Office: "Pilot Chart of the South Pacific - by Lieut. M. F. Maury, U.S. Navy. - National Observatory, Washington. Sheet No. 5. Series C." Measures 24-1/4 x 37 inches; horizontal fold line (as issued). There is a water mark at left center; otherwise very good condition. This rare chart was once the property of a certain Sea Captain named Seth Doane. The only other info I have on him is that while in port, he stayed at the Astor House (New York's finest Hotel at the time). 

                             Following reference from the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee website.

A series of hydrographic charts for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans produced by Matthew Fontaine Maury under the auspices of the U.S. Hydrographic Office. The charts incorporated data which Maury initially compiled from ships' logs stored at the Navy's Depot of Charts and Instruments (which later became the Naval Observatory). Maury then obtained massive amounts of navigational, hydrographic, and meteorological data from the recent voyages of Navy and commercial ships whose officers submitted the information on specially designed abstract logs created by Maury in return for free copies of the Wind and current charts. Six types of charts were produced: Series A, Track charts; Series B, Trade wind charts; Series C, Pilot charts; Series D, Thermal charts; Series E, Storm and rain charts; and Series F, Whale charts. For a comprehensive discussion of the series and listing of all charts known to have been produced, see "The wind and current chart series produced by Matthew Fontaine Maury," by Marc I. Pinsel, in Navigation : Journal of the Institute of Navigation, v. 28, no. 2 (Summer, 1981), p. 123-137. Title supplied by cataloger. Insignia of the U.S. Hydrographical Office appears on most of the charts.