Antique Maps of South America

Emanuel Bowen was born in Carmarthenshire, South Wales. The Son of Owen Bowen. In 1709 he was apprenticed to Charles Price as a merchant tailor and in 1714 he was admitted to the Merchant Taylors Livery Company.

He became one of the more important English mapmakers during the 18th century working in London. Working first as a map and print seller as well as an engraver ‘Next ye King of Spain in St. Katherines’ 1720; ‘the corner of Bolt-Court near the Leg-Tavern in Fleet Street’ 1722; ‘Near ye Stairs in the Katherine’s; Opposite to the Tune Inn in Fleet Street’. He received the honour of being made Royal Mapmaker to both King George II and Louis XV.

One of his first map works was Britannia Depicta first published in 1720. He collaborated with John Owen an antiquarian to provide the text for this work. It contains some 273 numbered pages featuring county maps of England and Wales and road maps derived from Ogilby’s Britannia 1675 with added notes and heraldry. The main feature was its small size which enabled for a traveller to have a great amount of information at his finger tips. It must have been a bestseller as it went on into further editions over the years. He published some fine English county atlases such as The Large English Atlas 1750 - 55 with further editions, The Royal Atlas 1762 with further editions and with his son Thomas, Atlas Anglicanus 1767.

His works were not confined to the England and Wales some of his overseas works included A Complete System of Geography, 1744 - 47; Complete Atlas Distinct View of the Known World, 1752; Universal History of the World, 1766.

For any map collector it is sad to know that Emanuel Bowen died on the 8th May 1767 in poverty. His son Thomas Bowen carried on the business but he also died of poverty in 1790 whilst in a Clerkenwell workhouse.

If you come across a map where there are few blank spaces because any you would have expected are filled with interesting topographical or historical notes you are probably looking at a Bowen map.

One of France's great mapmakers. Son of Claude DeLisle 1644 - 1720 and Marie Malaine who died in childbirth. His father Claude was a geographer and historian and at one time a pupil of the French cartographer Nicolas Sanson.

At the age of 27 in 1702 Guillaume ws admitted into the French Académie Toyales des Sciences. After this he signed his maps "Géographe de l'Académié". His career prospered and in 17818 he received the title "Géographe de l’Académie" and the appointment to teach geopgraphy to the Dauphin, son of King Lous XIV. With his precision and an eye for accuracy he played an important part in the history of French cartography. After his death his business passed to his widow Marie Angélique and after her death to son-in-law Philippe Buache.