Background:
This is one of the largest and most influential maps, of Africa, to appear in the mid-18th century. Engraved by Emmanuel Bowen after J.B. D Anville, the map covers the entire continent of Africa from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good Hope and from the Cape Verde Islands to Madagascar. D Anville was a careful cartographer known for his scientific approach to map-making, and nowhere is this more evident than in this, one of his greatest and most innovative maps of Africa. Following the trajectory set by Guillaume de L Isle half a century earlier, D Anville takes a number of significant steps forward in addressing the confusions inherent in mapping this vast though mostly, in the mid-17th century, unexplored continent. These include unreliable cartographic suppositions regarding the African interior dating practically to antiquity. Many of these, including such speculative ideas as the Mountains of Kong, have been diminished if not removed entirely from this map, leaving vast unexplored areas throughout.
What was known of Africa, however, D Anville incorporates here in an impressive compilation of the most up to date reports from colonial, missionary, and exploratory entradas into the interior of the continent. Thus well mapped parts of the continent are limited to the Mediterranean Coast, Morocco, the Senegambia, the Congo, South Africa, the Kingdom of Monomatapa, Abyssinia, and egypt. Morocco, egypt, and the southern Mediterranean Coast (Barbary) were well known to europeans since antiquity and D Anvilles accurate mapping of these regions reflects continual contact. Further south the colonial enclaves along the Niger River (Senegal and Gambia), the Congo River, and South Africa reflect considerable detail associated with European penetration by trader and missionaries. The land of Monomopota around the Zambezi River was explored early in the 16th century by the Portuguese in hopes that the legendary gold mines supposedly found there would counterbalance the wealth flowing into Spain from the New Word. Unfortunately these mines, often associated with the Biblical kingdom of Ophir, were mostly tapped out by the 15th century. Abyssinia (modern day ethiopia) was mapped in detail by early Italian missionaries and of considerable interest to Europeans first, because it was (and is) predominantly Christian; second, because it was a powerful well-organized and unified kingdom; and third because the sources of the Blue Nile were to be found here.
The remainder of the continent remained largely speculative though D Anville rarely lets his imagination get the upper hand. He does however follow the well-established Ptolemaic model laid down in the Geographica regarding the sources of the White Nile – here seen as two lakes at the base of the semi-apocryphal Mountains of the Moon. However, he also presents a curious network of interconnected rivers extending westward from the confused course of the White Nile following the popular 18th century speculation that the Nile may be connected to the Niger. To his credit Anville does not advocate this and offers no true commerce between the two river systems.
Lake Malawi, here identified as Maravi, appears in a long thin embryonic state that, though it had not yet been \\\'discovered,\\\' is remarkably accurate to form. Lake Malawi was not officially discovered until Portuguese trader Candido Jose da Costa Cardoso stumbled upon it in 1849 – one hundred years following Anvilles presentation of the lake here. Anvilles inclusion of Lake Malawi is most likely a prescient interpretation of indigenous reports brought to Europe by 17th century Portuguese traders. Its form would be followed by subsequent cartographers well into the mid-19th century when the explorations of John Hanning Speke, David Livingstone, Richard Francis Burton and others would at last yield a detailed study of Africas interior.

Bowen, Emanuel 1694 - 1767
Bowen was a print and map-seller by trade as well as engraver to both George II and Louis XV of France. From 1714 onwards, he worked in London and was the both architect and creator of some of the most intriguing and appealing maps of that era. One of his long-term plans was to publish a complete atlas of English county maps. It proved to be such an enormous project, Bowen decided to combine the skills (and no doubt pool knowledge and contacts) of fellow mapmaker, Thomas Kitchin.
With the atlas in mind, they began to publish individual maps from 1748 which served as a practical way to advertise their forthcoming collection.Working together like this, they eventually published the appropriately named, The Large English Atlas in around 1760. The maps were indeed the largest county maps of the age, some being around 20in x 27in (510mm x 695mm). The maps themselves featured detailed descriptions in small blocks of text: county towns, historical notes, notable events etc, carefully filling any voids or quiet areas on the maps, and resulting in a stunning montage of topographically and historically fascinating pieces.
A reduced version of The Large English Atlas, The Royal English Atlas, was published later, around 1764. Maps from this work, though very similar in detail to the older version, are significantly rarer now, suggesting that fewer were produced due to lack of interest.
Bowens name is now frequently associated with a collection of small road maps, or strip maps published around 1720. Bowen worked with partner John Owen on a pocket-sized road atlas entitled: Britannia Depicta. Owen & Bowen developed these delightful strip maps from John Ogilby\\\'s master work of 1675: reduced in size and embellished with text giving local details, thus providing one of the first practical travelling atlases. The pages were printed double sided so it was light, required less paper to make and could easily fit in a pocket or saddle-bag to accompany the traveller.
Emanuel Bowens son, Thomas, also produced some beautiful maps. He is known to have helped his father as a youngster, and no doubt acquired some useful skills in the process. As with many other mapmakers of the time, despite their apparent success in the trade, both Emanuel and son Thomas died in poverty and relative obscurity. They did, however leave behind them an remarkable portfolio of both large and small, incredibly detailed and crafted maps and are certainly not obscure today.

Please note all items auctioned are genuine, we do not sell reproductions. A Certificate of Authenticity (COA) can be issued on request.