here - Ashley Baynton-Williams

65
Rare Plan Of Gibraltar In a Late Printing
NICHOLLS, Sutton.
[Untitled Composite Sheet Of Images Of Gibraltar:]
'A CHART of the STREIGHTS of GIBRALTAR with the
Soundings &c.' [&] 'A SOUTH PROSPECT OF THE ROCK OF
GIBRALTAR.' [&] 'THE NORTH.ernPROSPECT of the BAY,
TOWN and ROCK of GIBRALTAR.' [&] 'A PROSPECT of the
Town and Rock of GIBRALTAR from the BAY.' [&]
'An Exact PLAN of the TOWN, CASTLE, MOLE And BAY of
GIBRALTAR Likewise the Approaches of y.e Spaniards in the
Last War. [rule] EXPLANATION of the References in this
Plan.'
'THE ISLAND OF MAJORCA.' [& ] 'PORT MAHON In the
Island of MINORCA.'
London: Robert Wilkinson, [ca. 1780]; copperplate engraving, border / platemark: 455 x 560mm, in black
and white.
Evidence of old folds, the paper reinforced.
Rare late state of this detailed depiction of Gibraltar. Although the early history of the plate is unresolved,
in all likelihood it was first engraved circa 1712-1713, towards the end of the War of the Spanish Succession,
during which Britain had captured both Gibraltar and Minorca, and this double success seems to explain the
dual composition of the plate. However, no example of this early printing, if it ever existed, is recorded. The
earliest recorded state appears with the joint imprint of Thomas (II) and John Bowles, with John's address
datable to the period 1727/8 to 1732, and publication no doubt relating to the Spanish siege of 1726/7. This
late state was published by John Bowles's successor Robert Wilkinson, who took over his business in 1779.
This state has the plate cut down around the borders, but is otherwise little changed, presumably rushed
into print to coincide with the commencement of the 'Great Siege' of Gibraltar (1780-1783). Although this
plate was very much out of date, there were few good plans of Gibraltar to be had in the first year of the
siege, until Faden brought out his outstanding plan of Gibraltar and the harbour in 1781. £1,200
66
Very Scarce Plan Of Gibraltar From The Siege Of
1727
OVERTON, Henry (I) & HOOLE, John.
'A MAP of the Cast of SPAIN, from the Streights of
GIBRALTER to the Gulf of CARTAGENA.' 'S.
Parker sculp.t' 'Sold by H: Overton and I. Hoole at
the White Horse without Newgate London.'
[&]
'A New PLAN of the Garrison of GIBRALTER,
with its fortifications &c. 1726.'
London: Henry Overton (I) & John HOOLE,
London, [ca. 1727]; two copperplate engravings
printed on one sheet, Spain: border: 194 x 358 outer
border: 194 x 469 platemark: 201 x 478mm;
Gibraltar: border: 195 x 471 platemark:
198 x 476mm, in black and white. Traces of old folds
and creases, but overall a reasonable example.
Very scarce plan of Gibraltar issued at the time of the Spanish siege of 1727 with, engraved on a separate
plate, a general map of the coast of Spain from Seville and Cadiz to Cartagena, with the Straits of Gibraltar.
The partnership of Overton and Hoole can be dated, from newspaper advertisements thus far located, from
6th August 1724 to 8th - 10th May 1733. A joint catalogue, dated 1734, probably denotes the partners'
attempts to liquidate their joint assets. Principally print dealers, they published a few maps only: two-sheet
maps of the World, Europe, the Holy Land and of England, an abortive series of county maps, single page
maps of Scandinavia and Poland with Muscovy, and pocket maps of the roads of England (see item 33) and
of London. The map of the coast of Spain is here in its first recorded state, with the blank inset frame at bottom
right. In the second state, a map of Minorca was engraved here.
COPAC records only one example of the second state, in the British Library. £1,250
55
EUROPE