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Map based on the expeditions of Jean-François de Surville, a merchant captain with the French East India Company. Some details are from the diary of the French Navy officer Théobald René, Comte de Kergariou-Locmaria, who explored the region in 1785.

Map based on the expeditions of Jean-François de Surville, a merchant captain with the French East India Company. Some details are from the diary of the French Navy officer Théobald René, Comte de Kergariou-Locmaria, who explored the region in 1785.

This map of Asia features four different scales: French, Russian, Turkish and Chinese. Each country had their own measuring system, so this was not uncommon at the time.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, focusing on bays and islands, and showing bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals and reefs. Includes an inset map of the bay of the Isle de Mew (Peucang Island). The web of lines is a rhumbline network.

This map of Asia features four different scales: French, Russian, Turkish and Chinese. Each country had their own measuring system, so this was not uncommon at the time.

Navigation chart of the Sunda Strait, focusing on bays and islands, and showing bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals and reefs. Includes an inset map of the bay of the Isle de Mew (Peucang Island). The web of lines is a rhumbline network.

A piece of paper printed with a list of the various regions of Asia, including the regions of Southeast Asia, has been adhered to the right-hand side of this late 18th century map of Asia.

In the 18th century, European maps tended to use their own country’s meridian, so on this French map of Southeast Asia longitude is measured from the Paris Meridian. Eleven different scales are also shown.

This map of Asia has coloured borders around mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines, the Sunda Islands (‘Isles de la Sonde’) and the Maluku Islands (‘Isles Moluques’). The cartouche features a drawing of a sailing ship and boxes of goods.

Coloured borders on this map show the kingdoms of mainland Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Arrows marked on the sea to the west of the Philippines indicate wind direction during the monsoon seasons (with the months marked in French).

Map of the Banda Islands—which was at this time the only source of nutmeg in the world—featuring mountains, plantations, settlements and a military fort. On the island of Gunnanapi (Banda Api) a volcano erupts (‘api’ means ‘fire’ in Indonesian).

The many navigation aids marked on this map, including bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals, and elevations of hills, were designed to guide ships around this part of the west coast of Timor. The Dutch fort Concordia is also marked.