1818 Pinkerton Map of Korea and Japan

A masterpiece. This fascinating hand colored 1818 map by Edinburgh cartographer John Pinkerton depicts Korea (Corea) and Japan. A spectacular, highly detailed map of this fascinating region with spectacular engraving, practically leaps off the page. Possibly the finest British atlas map of Japan and Korea to appear in the 19th century. Drawn by L. Herbert and engraved by Samuel Neele under the direction of John Pinkerton. This map was issued in the scarce American edition of Pinkerton's Modern Atlas, published by Thomas Dobson & Co. of Philadelphia in 1818.

Cartographer

John Pinkerton (February 17, 1758 - March 10, 1826) was an Scottish writer, historian, and cartographer. Pinkerton was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a studious youth with a passion for the classics. As a young man, he studied at Edinburgh University before apprenticing as a lawyer. Around this time, he began writing, with his first book, Elegy on Craigmillar Castle published in 1776. Pinkerton moved to London in 1781 to pursue his writing career in earnest. He successfully published several works of literature, poetry, and history. Pinkerton proved passionate in his literary and historical writings, but his correspondence with other cartographers has been labeled as aggressive, even insane. In addition to his work as a writer and historian, Pinkerton was one of the leading masters of the Edinburgh school of cartography which flourished from roughly 1800 to 1830. Pinkerton and his contemporaries (Thomson and Cary) redefined European cartography by abandoning typical 18th century decorative elements such as elaborate title cartouches and fantastical beasts in favor of detail and accuracy. Pinkerton's principle work is Pinkerton's Modern Atlas published from 1808 through 1815 with a special American reissue by Dobson and Co. in 1818. Pinkerton relocated to Paris in 1818, where he managed his publishing business until his death in 1826.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good condition. Wide clean margins. Some minor transference. a Blank on verso.

References

Rumsey 0732.035 (British edition). Phillips (Atlases) 724. National Maritime Museum, 409. Phillips (America) page 806.