Romans - A Chorographical Map, of the Country, Round Philadelphia...

A Chorographical Map, of the Country, round Philadelphia, Carte Particuliere, des Environs de Philadelphie, Bernard Romans, Amsterdam: Covens et Mortier et Covens Junior, circa 1778, attractively hand colored engraving on watermarked laid paper, plate 12-3/8 x 13-5/8 in., sheet 17-1/8 x 21-7/8 in.; in modern parcel gilt frame, 24-1/4 x 25-1/2 x 1-1/8 in.

Provenance: Martayan Lan Augustyn, Inc., 2002; Private Collection

Note: This rare map, engraved and published in Amsterdam, was based on an earlier map by surveyor Bernard Romans, Deputy Surveyor General for the Southern District of North America. Romans produced his map, virtually unobtainable today, to illustrate the Philadelphia campaign of 1777. He located the position of Washington’s camp near Valley Forge and the route of General Howe’s British forces at the outskirts of Philadelphia.

While this map illustrates numerous additional features such as county and state boundaries, place names, major roads, and waterways, one of the most significant details relating to this sale is the precise location of the eastern portion of the boundary line between Maryland and Pennsylvania which had been surveyed by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon. Romans delineated a circle around New Castle and a portion of the east-west line.

Covens & Mortier (fl. 1721-1774) and later, Covens & Mortier & Covens,

Junior (fl. 1774-1783) was a prolific Dutch firm that printed and published a variety of maps, atlases, and town plans. While it is not clear how their firm received a copy of Romans’ map, Michael Buehler of Boston Rare Maps has suggested that perhaps since Romans was born in Delft, he may have retained business connections in Holland.