Chinese cartography - photo 1

Chinese cartography

Lot 134
19.10.2023 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Starting price
$ 100
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1032786
Lot 134 | Chinese cartography
Estimate value
$ 30 000 – 50 000
Chinese cartography – Collection of four hand-colored manuscript maritime charts in Chinese, [Qing Dynasty, 18th or early 19th century].

A rich collection of manuscript maps, including much along the East China Sea coastline in Zhejiang Province. With wonderful detail of topography and architecture including dams, bridges, temples, administrative buildings, etc. Comprises:

1. Quan zhe yang mian dao yu tu shuo [Complete Coastal Chart of Islands along the Coast of Zhejiang Province].

Attractive and very large coastal chart of the Zhejiang Province, from Ruian County northwards until the southern part of Haiyan County. It depicts hundreds if not thousands of small islands and shoals, along with their fortifications and observation points, jurisdictional and military details. This chart begins with a long calligraphed prefatory note explaining its military purpose.

Manuscript map on paper, 435 x 5565mm including the prefatory text, mounted as a handscroll, with green silk wrappers and red titling label (a long repaired tear without loss, scattered stains and wear, a little worming near edges mostly at the beginning).

2. Zhu Ruilin, cartographer. Zhejiang sheng haitang tu, Ningshaotai dao [Coastal chart of Zhejiang Province, Ningshaotai Circuit.]

The Ningshaotai circuit was an administrative division formed in 1668. This chart covers much of its eastern coastline along Hangzhou Bay, from around present-day Ningbo westward to Hangzhou. Dinghai District is depicted as heavily fortified—it was an important base for the suppression of piracy.

Manuscript map on paper, 460 x 2850mm, mounted as a handscroll, (repaired closed tear about 35cm, loss to silk edging, a little soiling to protective wrapper, 13cm separation of join to roller, mild creasing). Provenance: official inscription from Zhu Ruilin – Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, 1779-1869, Irish army officer commanding in China from 1839-1842 (ownership inscription on verso at end).

3. Quemoy (or Kinmen) and Neighborhood (titled in English only on the verso of the wrapper).

This handsome naval chart shows the heavy fortifications among the myriad Kinmen islands along the coast of Fujian province, covering about 200km from north to south. There is detailed information on zones of military responsibility and administrative authority.

Manuscript map on paper, 460 x 2195mm, mounted as a handscroll, (38 cm repaired closed towards end of the scroll, silk edging chipped.).

4. Chuan you heng zha chu jiang xing shi tu [A Situation Map Showing an Alternative Exit where the Grand Canal Exits into the Yangtze].

Interesting chart depicting the exits around the Jingkou and Dantu Districts of the Grand Canal to the Yangtze River. At the upper right is Tie Wengcheng, then an important military stronghold, now subsumed by Zhenjiang. This is the area where the Jiangnan Canal and the Huai-Yang Canal meet. Military posts on Xiangshan bank and on Guazhou bank are shown.

Manuscript map on paper, 455 x 1030mm, mounted as a hanging scroll, red manuscript slips, red titling label (label chipped with loss, several small areas of repair along lower edge).
Place of origin:China
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
20 Rockefeller Plaza
10020 New York
USA
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