1860 Norie Nautical Map of the Cape of Good Hope / False Bay, South Africa

A remarkable and very rare 1860 British commercial nautical chart of False Bay and the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. Issued by John William Norie, this map is based upon surveys ordered by Sir Robert Stopford during his time as Commander-in-Chief of the Cape of Good Hope Station (1810 – 1827). The chart depicts from Robben Island south to the Cape of Good Hope and False Cape, including Rocky Bank. False Bay and the Promontory of the Cape are illustrated in full. In the vicinity of Cape Town, the map offers exceptional inland detail, identifying numerous private estates by the name of their owners, along the various rivers between Table Bay and False Bay. An inset of Simon's Bay appears in the upper right, near the title area, with important buildings identified.

Secondary Map

Beneath the main chart of False Bay, there is a secondary map of the Cape Colony extending from the Cape District in the west to Cape Morgan and the Sandy Point or 'First Point of Natal.' This map offers limited inland cartography including major mountains, roads, and riverways. Some towns are noted, among them are De Beer Valley, Somerset, various forts, 'Gaikas Residence,' Zwellendam, Worchester, Setllenbosch, Caledon, and more.

Marine Navigation Details

Throughout both maps there are detailed depth soundings and curious annotations relating maritime and other information. Nighttime sailing directions into Table Bay appear in the upper left. There is an illustration of the lighthouse at Green Point. The map is further embellished by four land profiles.

Blueback Charts

Blueback nautical charts began appearing in London in the late 18th century. Bluebacks, as they came to be called, were privately published large format nautical charts known for their distinctive blue paper backing. The backing, a commonly available blue manila paper traditionally used by publishers to warp unbound pamphlets, was adopted as a practical way to reinforce the low-quality paper used by private chart publishers in an effort to cut costs. The earliest known blueback charts include a 1760 chart issued by Mount and Page, and a 1787 chart issued by Robert Sayer. The tradition took off in the early 19th century, when British publishers like John Hamilton Moore, Robert Blachford, James Imray, William Heather, John William Norie, Charles Wilson, David Steel, R. H. Laurie, and John Hobbs, among others, rose to dominate the chart trade. Bluebacks became so popular that the convention was embraced by chartmakers outside of England, including Americans Edmund March Blunt and George Eldridge, as well as Scandinavian, French, German, Russian, and Spanish chartmakers. Blueback charts remained popular until the late 19th century, when government subsidized organizations like the British Admiralty Hydrographic Office and the United States Coast Survey, began issuing their own superior charts on high quality paper that did not require reinforcement.

Publication History and Census

Norie originally issued this chart in 1832. The present example offers updates to 1860 and so must have been issued posthumously by Norie's heirs. Evidence suggests that there were most certainly intermediary variants published, but nevertheless this is the only example of this chart we have been able to positively identify in any collection public or private. A unique rarity.