The map is taken from Nieuwe en Beknopte Hand Atlas. The Australian continent is connected to the landmass of New Guinea, an archaism given that Abel Tasman proved the two lands distinct and separate in 1643; and as was conventional of the era; present-day Western Australia is labelled Nieuw Nolland and California is still illustrated as an island.
While Great Britain was fighting the War of Jenkins’ Ear with Spain in 1740, Commodore George Anson led a squadron of eight ships on a mission to disrupt or capture the Pacific Ocean possessions of the Spanish Empire. Returning to Britain in 1744 by way of China and thus completing a circumnavigation of the globe, the voyage was notable for the capture of the Manila Galleon, but also for horrific losses from disease with only 188 men of the original 1,854 surviving. An account of the voyage was published in 1748 which being widely read by the general public was a great commercial success and is still esteemed as the story of a remarkable voyage extremely well told.
Isaac Tirion (c1705-1765) was a successful publisher and bookseller at Kalverstraat in Amsterdam. Tirion produced extensive volumes of Dutch town plans as well as a number of atlases with maps, usually based on those of Guillaume De L’Isle. He died in 1765 and his wife continued the business till the mid 1770’s when his plates and stock were sold.
- 1739-57 Atlas of the Dutch Provinces: 35-40 maps
- 1740-84 Nieuwe en Beknopte Hand Atlas Six editions with number of maps varying from 34 to over 100
