Lot 169: LAURIE, Robert (1755-1836) and WHITTLE, James (1758-1818). The African...

LAURIE, Robert (1755-1836) and WHITTLE, James (1758-1818). The African Pilot: Being a Collection of New and Accurate Charts, On a Large Scale of the Coasts, Islands, and Harbours of Africa. London: Laurie and Whittle, 1804.

Extremely rare sea atlas relating to Africa. We can only trace one copy of this enlarged edition in an institution (Library of Congress); the only similar auction record was for a copy with 12 charts only dated 1788-94, sold in these rooms 6 Nov 1980, lot 266, £1,000 hammer. Laurie and Whittle succeeded the business of Robert Sayer when he died in January 1794. They reissued Sayer’s charts under their joint imprint, and amended and added to them. Their first issue of the African Pilot, with a title-page dated 1799, included 13 charts on 14 sheets (see Shirley BL M.LAU-1a), while our issue contains 14 maps, reconciling with Phillips Atlases 4082, which dates it to [1794]-1802. Several charts consist of two or three joint sections.

Tall thin folio (720 x 290 mm), typographical title-page incorporating content list; 14 charts without text (occasional very light browning, a few small wax marks on chart 13). Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, with Egerton and William Smith’s advertisement pasted on the front paste-down (spine and corners worn and rubbed, small section of upper board cover repaired).