Original antique map engraved by John Cary in 1806 and published in his New Universal Atlas in 1808. With original hand colouring.
The map represents European geographical knowledge of Central and Eastern Asia at the start of the 19th century.
It distinguishes between Chinese Tartary (territories under the Manchu Qing Dynasty, such as Manchuria and Mongolia) and Independent Tartary (western regions spanning from the Caspian Sea into Central Asia).
The map covers a vast area from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Sea of Japan in the east, and from the Arctic "Obskaia Sea" in the north down to India and the Philippines.
Known for his "elegant and exact" engraving, Cary used the latest surveys of the time to detail Silk Road passages and pictorial relief (mountains and terrain).
John Cary (1755–1835), was a prominent British cartographer and engraver. He published a wide range of highly accurate copper-engraved maps that became industry standards for their clean, un-ornamented style. These 1804 editions were largely prepared for his comprehensive New Universal Atlas, which was eventually issued in full in 1808.
Cary served his apprenticeship as an engraver in London, before setting up his own business in the Strand in 1783. He soon gained a reputation for his maps and globes. He published 'The New and Correct English Atlas' in 1787, which soon became a standard reference work in England.
In 1794 Cary was commissioned by the Postmaster General to survey England's roads. This resulted in Cary's 'New Itinerary', published in 1798, containing maps of all the major roads in England and Wales. He also produced Ordnance Survey maps prior to 1805.
Cary's New Universal Atlas, is a landmark of early 19th-century map making. It represented a shift from the decorative, artistic maps of the 18th century toward a more modern, scientific approach prioritising clarity, accuracy, and meticulous detail.
The 1808 edition featured 56 hand-coloured, engraved maps covering all major states and kingdoms worldwide, including highly detailed maps of England and Wales.
Cary replaced the "quaintness and charm" of older maps with a scientific rationality, using the latest surveying techniques to establish a standard that later influenced the Ordnance Survey.
The atlas was so popular it was reissued at least seven times over the next 30 years.
