1711 Thornton Map of Bombay and Sallset, India

An extremely scarce map, this is John Thornton's 1711 map of Bombay Harbor, India. First drawn in 1685 for the Atlas Maritimus, this map is the first printed map to offer any real detail of Bombay harbor. Following in the style of the Thames School, this map covers all of Sallset Island, Bombay Island, and the nearby coast of India and a few other surrounding islands. It offers numerous depth soundings and identifies the Jesuit Mission of Poloremo, a winter anchorage in the Bassein Estuary, and various fortifications. The chart is dedicated in the upper left quadrant to the governors of the British East India Company, of which Thornton was the official Hydrographer. This map exists in three known states, all of which are cartographically identical. The first state features John Thornton's imprint under the dedication and is dated 1685. The second state bears no imprint under the dedication and dates to 1702. In the third state, this example, 1711, the dedication returns, this time to Samuel Thornton, John Thornton's son and heir. The present example also bears a pastedown in the title cartouche advertising the establishment of James Atkinson at Cherry Garden Staires, Rotherith (Rotherhithe). Atkinson maintained a bookshop in southeast London. He also taught mathematics, but little else is known of his life.