A rare and attractive sea chart of the English Channel. It was first published by Charles Price (1679?-1733) and dated 1729. That map bore no title but an interesting ‘Advertisement’ lower left for ‘A Compleat Sea Atlas’ based on his own observations. It had been thought to have been unpublished as the only record had been an untitled collection of his charts is found in the British Library. However, we have since traced examples of an ‘Atlas Maritimus: or a new Sea Atlas’ at the Museo Naval, Madrid and the Bancroft Library, University of California. A further example appeared on the market in 2018.

Price had been apprenticed to John Seller Snr in 1694 and witnessed his will. Following his father’s death in 1697, Jeremiah Seller continued the business in partnership with his mother Elizabeth Seller. They went into partnership with Charles Price from about 1699. Price similarly was a mapseller, engraver, globe, and instrument maker. Amongst their published works is ‘The English Neptune: or, a New Sea Atlas’ which is exceedingly rare. Price’s proposed atlas above was a later incarnation of that earlier work. However, it clearly was not a success as he was in debtor’s prison at Fleet in 1731 spending the ensuing Christmas there. The ‘Atlas Maritimus: or a new Sea Atlas’ was finally published in 1732. No other publishers are identified on the title page, but it would seem likely that some form of financial support was provided. He died in 1733.

Presumably to relieve himself of his debts, his existing plates were disposed of. The chart of the English Channel at least, passed into the hands of William Mount and Thomas Page, the most prolific publishers of sea charts in England at the time. Indeed, it would seem likely that this formed part of the arrangement that allowed for the publication of Price’s atlas. William Mount continued the business of his father Richard Mount (1654-1722) in the partnership with Thomas Page (fl. 1700-33) upon his death in 1722. Thomas Page was succeeded by his son, also Thomas.

This chart is beautifully engraved and includes much of the southern coastlines of England and Wales in detail. The coast of France is similarly treated and includes the Channel Islands. The chart is covered in depth soundings, even in the middle of the Channel. A description lower right explains the use of the tidal arrows and roman numerals displayed which are the work of Edmund Halley. Two ships and two compass roses are found in the Channel. The whole is completed by an ornate title cartouche upper centre. This is the third of three states we have identified as follows:

State 1 – 1729. Charles Price with dedication to Samuel Lord Masham top centre and dated 1729. Imprint in box lower right with descriptive text ‘his shop in the minories’
State 2 – c.1733. A title replaces the old dedication upper centre. The previous text describing Price’s atlas is erased by the imprint ‘Sold by Willi.m Mount & Tho.s Page on Tower Hill LONDON’
State 3 – c.1745. With inset of the Isle of Wight lower right above the ‘Advertisement’

Shirley (1995); Shirley (2004) M.M&P 4c no. 3, M.M&P 7d no. 4, M.M&P 8a no. 2, M.Pri 1a no. 8; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).