Captain Cook. New Zealand River Tamise and Bays c1774.

by Cook, Captain James

Antique map of Cook's charting of Tamise River with depth soundings, as well as New Zealand Bay of Mercury, Bay of Islands and Bay of Tolaga.

Original copperplate-engraving by Benard of James Cook’s chart of New Zealand Bays and Tamise River, for the French publication of Cook's voyages, first published in London in 1773.

Lieutenant James Cook was meticulous in his charting. From New Zealand he travelled west, landed in Botany Bay, claimed the land for Britain, named it New South Wales, and then charted north up the East Coast of Australia. It is a testament to Cook’s meticulous attention to detail, that his charts were used for navigation over the next 100 years.

This fine map is printed  in dark ink on thick hand-wove paper which was slightly stretched at lower left corner during printing. There is offset printing from the pressure of tight storage of the map's vertical folds which enabled inclusion in a smaller publication. The deckle-edged paper measuare 350 x 490mm. To the intaglio impression from the printing plate is 300 x 450mm. There is slight archival-repaired damage at top right.