The West Coast of Australia from Hordern House

As long as we are finding “firsts,” here is another – the first English map of Australia. It wasn't really English, it being the most famous of Australian maps, that of Abel Tasman. Tasman was a Dutchman who twice sailed on behalf of the VOC, in 1642 and 1644, in hopes of finding riches on a mythical southern land. On his first journey, he found Tasmania and New Zealand, but did not learn much about Australia. On his second, he proceeded along the southern coast of New Guinea to the northwestern coast of Australia, but somehow missed the Strait of Torres between the two. The result is his map confirms Jansz' earlier belief that the two were connected. Originally thought to have been created by Tasman himself, the map is now believed to have been created around 50 years later, and combines information from Tasman's journey along Australia's northwestern coast with that of earlier voyagers. The result is a map that displays the western half of Australia with surprising accuracy, but does connect it to New Guinea, and leaves the eastern half blank, allowing for the theory that it was just the northern tip of a massive southern continent. This first English version of the map was published in 1744, and bears the title A complete map of the Southern Continent, survey'd by Capt. Abel Tasman... The map predicts, “Whoever perfectly discovers & settles it will become infalliably possessed of Territories as Rich, as fruitful, & as capable of Improvement as any that have been hither to found out...” That statement is a bit ironic as it would indeed be the English who settled it, but to be used as a prison colony rather than a source of great riches. Item 10. AU $9,500 (US $8,977).

Here is a work that is more often associated with America. It is an account of one of the great voyages to the west coast of America. However, it had a few stops along the way, one of them being Australia. Item 14 is A Voyage of Discovery to the North Pacific Ocean, and Round the World... by George Vancouver, published in 1798. Vancouver participated in the second and third of Cook's voyages, and was a logical candidate to continue the explorations he had conducted. Vancouver was sent to the American west coast for a few reasons, most importantly to try to find an elusive northwest passage, but also to survey the coast and resolve disputes with the Spanish over the territory. He did not find a northwest passage, but did determine that if there was one, it would have to be farther north than previously believed. While on his way to America, Vancouver explored the south coast of Australia. He landed at King George III Sound (today Albany) on the southwest coast. He claimed the land for England, which was odd since it was still known as New Holland at the time. He then moved on to Hawaii and North America, before returning home via a circumnavigation in 1795. Amazingly, he only lost 5 of his 180 men over the long voyage. Vancouver's name is remembered in a city in the United States, a city and island in Canada, a mountain in New Zealand, and a peninsula in Australia. $78,500 (US $74,231).

You may reach Hordern House at +61 (02) 9356 4411 or rare@hordern.com. Their website is found at www.hordern.com