Original 1801 Map RUSSIAN EMPIRE Tsar Alexander I Kamchatka Petersburg Moscow
Genuine original antique copper engraved map of the Russian Empire with decorative swash title, printed more than 210 years ago. The map was engraved by Samuel Neele and published by Thomas Brown in his General Atlas, Edinburgh, 1801. The image area measures 27.2 x 33 cm [10¾" x 13"], and the distance scale is measured in British statute miles. Thomas Brown was an Edinburgh bookseller and publisher of the late 18th and early 19th century. The map is titled A New and Accurate Map of the Russian Empire, from the best Authorities. It depicts the Russian Empire shortly after the reign of Catherine the Great, the most renowned and the longest-ruling female leader of Russia, who governed during what is considered to be its Golden Age. Her grandson, Tsar Alexander I ascended to the throne following the assasination of this father Paul I in 1801, the year this map was printed. Among the details on the map is a printed note locating the "Wintering of the Dutch in 1596," refering to the explorations of Willem Barentsz along the coast of Nova Zembla. Other details include Kamchatka, Petersburg, the Ural Mountains, the Maimatschin "Trading Place" on the northern border of China, the Schelkovo "Silk Manufactory," Musqua (Moscow), and dozens of rivers, cities, and settlements. Condition: This map is in very good condition, with generous margins and no rips or tears. There are two faint spots in the upper left corner, and the map is blank on the back, with no printing on the reverse side. Please see the scans, including the one below of the full sheet, and feel free to ask any questions. |