A beautifully coloured map of the eastern part of the Russian Empire by the firm of Robert Laurie and James Whittle. It was first issued as Robert Sayer’s ‘General Atlas’ published in 1773. It is heavily updated from the first state dated 1772, particularly in the east. The whole of the east coast of Russia is re-engraved and ‘Behring’s Island where he was cast away and Died in 1741’ is now closer to the mainland. The Aleutian Island chain is shown more accurately but the mainland of North America is removed. The map is derived from the cartography of the Imperial Academy in St. Petersburg.

Laurie and Whittle updated Sayer’s atlas with many new maps and issued it as ‘A New Universal Atlas’. It is from this latter work that this attractive map is from. Often thought of as mere publishers Robert Laurie (1755-1836) was a noted craftsman. He was a talented mezzotint engraver who invented a method of mezzotint printing in colour, an achievement that won him an award from the Royal Society of Arts in 1776. In the early 1790s he entered the publishing business with James Whittle (1757-1818) as his partner. The acquisition of Sayer’s stock catapulted them into the major league. The firm still exists today under the name Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson Ltd. Shirley (2004) T.Lau-1a no. 30; Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).