Ode To Oceanography: An Antique Nautical Chart Of the Southeastern United States
- ThePersaudCatalog
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Today’s Ode to Oceanography series map is an ancient nautical chart of the Southeastern United States. This map is of the coast of the Southeastern United States from Cape Fear in North Carolina to Saint Augustine, in Northern Florida. It encompasses the states of Georgia, South Carolina, & partially covers Florida & North Carolina.
The map is in reasonable condition & has been re-backed, & restored using various techniques, although it does have a few slight dark markings in the upper right corner, as well as in the lower left region.
In today’s article, we will discuss the map itself, & analyze this antique nautical map. With that being said, let us delve into the Marshlands of the Southeastern United States!
The Map Itself
The map spans 4 different U.S states, those being North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, & Florida, along with one major river, the St. John’s River. Although the map is uncolored, it has slightly yellowed with age. Along with this, there are small markings in the center, upper right, & lower left sections of the map that have taken on a brownish appearance. The chart is also illustrated with the south being at the top & north being at the bottom, meaning that Florida is at the top while North Carolina is at the bottom.
The chart has approximately 1 compass, in the lower central region, along with zoomed in areas of the Charleston Harbour in South Carolina, & the Saint James River in Virginia.
An Analysis Of The Chart
The chart was illustrated in 1832 by Edmund March Blunt, an American cartographer, hydrographer, & bookseller, best known for his guide “The American Pilot”, which detailed every American port at the time of its publication in 1796. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential hydrographers of the 19th century in the United States. It was found by Maps of Antiquity, who restored it, cleaned it, framed it, & fixed its backing. This map was made in the United States, by Blunt’s cartographic office was based in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Newburyport is modernly in Essex County, approximately 35 miles northeast of Boston.
The chart is fairly accurate for its time, although the harbour of Charleston, South Carolina, is different in modern day. It is unlikely to be part of any particular collection. The chart was made for civilian use, & was not intended to be used in strategic combat, or by the United States Military.
As the map was produced in 1832, it was likely made using Lithography. Lithography is a method of printing that arose in the 1820s, & remained the most popular method of printing in both color & grayscale until the early 1930s, when more efficient methods became available.
In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the map is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho press. Afterward, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed.
Directories / Credits
All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. To purchase this map, any other maps, or any other cartographic objects, please visit mapsofantiquity.com. To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Maps of Antiquity, as we do not have a partnership with them.
Strategic Partnerships
Reel Guppy Outdoors
SharkedSkooler
Marine Enthusiasts Podcast
Cash Daniels
Tides of Tomorrow
Our Loyal Patrons
P. R. Ochoa
Comments