SAYER, Robert, and John BENNETT.

The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; especially those which are now, or probably may be the theatre of war: taken principally from the actual surveys and judicious observations of engineers de Brahm and Romans; Cook, Jackson, and Collett; Maj. Holland, and other officers, employed in his majesty's fleets and armies.

London, printed for R. Sayer and J. Bennett, [c. 1776]. 8vo (220 x 145 mm), pp. [iii], vi–viii, [2], with six folding engraved maps (on guards), hand-coloured in outline; some very light marginal soiling, the odd light handling mark or tiny tear, imprint of the sixth map slightly shaved; strictly contemporary calf-backed marbled boards; lightly rubbed, foot of spine slightly chipped, but an excellent copy. First edition. Often known as the ‘Holster Atlas’, because of its compactness and intended use by the military, as stated in the Advertisement (p. [vii]): ‘Surveys and topographical charts being fit only for a library, such maps as an officer may take with him into the field have been much wanted. The following collection forms a portable atlas of North America, calculated in its bulk and price to suit the pockets of officers of all ranks’. It is dedicated by the editors to Thomas Pownall, an MP who had earlier been governor of Massachusetts and was a respected authority on American matters: ‘As we undertook this work for the use of the military gentlemen at your recommendation, we cannot but hope that the avowed patronage, of a person so well informed in geography, and having such a particular knowledge of the country of North America, may recommend it to the public; we therefore presumed to dedicate it to you’. The Atlas was available for sale in New York as well as London (see Harley, et al., Mapping the American Revolutionary War p. 96 and n. 109).The maps comprise (imprint dates in italics):1. North America, as divided amongst the European powers. By Samuel Dunn. 1774. 2. A compleat map of the West Indies, containing the coasts of Florida, Louisiana, New Spain, and Terra Firma, with all the islands. By Samuel Dunn. 1774. 3. A general map of the northern British colonies in America which comprehends Quebec, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New England and New York. From the maps published by the Admiralty and Board of Trade, regulated by the observations of Major Holland and corrected from Governor Pownall’s late map. 1776. 4. A general map of the middle British colonies in America. Containing Virginia, Maryland, the Delaware counties, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, improved from several surveys made after the late war, and corrected from Governor Pownall’s late map. 1776. 5. A general map of the southern British colonies in America. Comprehending North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida. From the modern surveys of engineer de Brahm, Capt. Collet, Mouzon & others, and from the large hyrdographical survey of the coast of East and West Florida. By B. Romans. (With inset plans of Charlestown and St Augustine.) 1776. 6. A survey of Lake Champlain, including Lake George, Crown Point and St John. By William Brassier, 1762. (With an inset plan of Lake George.) 1776.Maps 3–5 have an additional title in the top margin, beginning ‘The Seat of War . . . ’.Clark I 189; Phillips 1206; Sabin 1147; Servies 526; Shirley, Atlases p. 902; TPL 495. ESTC notes two variant imprints, one with, the other (as here) without, a colon after ‘London’.

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• Commande nro.: T2633

• libraire: Bernard Quaritch Ltd. (GREAT BRITAIN)