Item #JLR0833 The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies. Holster Atlas.
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies
The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies

The American military pocket atlas; being an approved collection of correct maps, both general and particular, of the British colonies; Especially those which now are, 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 Collet; Maj. Holland, and other Officers, employed in His Majesty’s fleets and armies

London: R. Sayer and J. Bennet, [1776]. First edition.

Octavo in 4s (9” x 5 3/4”, 227mm x 145mm): A4(–A1) χ1 [$1 (A2) signed]. 8 leaves, pp. iii-v (title, blank, dedication) vi vii (advertisement) viii, [2] (list of maps, blank). With 6 folding engraved maps outlined in color.

Bound in contemporary marbled boards backed in modern morocco. On the spine, five raised bands. Title (“AMERICA/ POCKET/ ATLAS”) gilt to red sheep in the second panel.

Modern backing, with renewed and repaired mounts (the text-leaves bound as singletons). Peripheral tanning, and some soiling. Splits, mostly repaired, to the maps, with some narrow losses near the folds. Offsetting and pigment oxidation throughout. Signs of removed bookplates from the front paste-down, with some offsetting to the first free end-paper. Graphite additions to the fifth map (“A General Map of the Southern British Colonies…” in modern Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee).


Sayer and Bennet succeeded the great English mapmaker Thomas Jefferys in providing official maps for the British military. The importance of the undated atlas is exemplified by a few words in the title: “those which now are, or probably may be The Theatre of War.” Published before hostilities actually emerged (although the maps of the present example include dates through October 1776), the maps anticipate and adapt to the battles of the early Revolution. This collection of six maps was calibrated to be accessible and useful to officers of whatever rank; so much did it become standard-issue that it came to be known as the holster atlas, finding its place in officers’ saddles. The maps are:

  1. North America, as divided amongst the European Powers. By Samuel Dunn, Mathematician. London: Robert Sayer, 10 Jan.y 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, Mathematician. London: Robert Sayer, 10 January 1774.
  3. A General Map of the Northern British Colonies in America, which comprehends the Province of Quebec, the Government of Newfoundland, Nova-Scotia, New-England and New-York, from the Maps Published by the Admiralty and Board of Trade, Regulated by the Astronomic and Trigonometric Observations of Major Jolland, and Corrected from Governor Pownall’s Late Map 1776. London: Robert Sayer and John Bennett, 14th August 1776. (McCorkle 776.11, first state)
  4. A General Map of the Middle British Colonies, in America. containing Virginia, Maryland, the Delaware Counties, Pennsylania and New Jersey. With the addition of New York, and of the Greatest Part of New England, as also of the Bordering Parts of the Province of Quebec, improved from several Surveys made after the late War, and Corrected from Governor Pownall’s Late Map 1776. London: Robert Sayer and John Bennett, 15th Oct.r 1776.
  5. A General Map of the Southern British Colonies, in America. comprehending North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, with the Neighbouring Indian Countries. From the Modern Surveys of Engineer de Brahm, Capt. Collet, Mouzon & Others ; and from the Large Hydrographical Survey of the Coasts of East and West Florida, By B. Romans, 1776. London: Robert Sayer and John Bennett, 15th Oct.r 1776.
  6. A Survey of Lake Champlain, including Lake George, Crown Point and S.t John. Surveyed by Order of His Excellency Major-General S.r Jeffery Amherst, Knight of the Most Hon.ble Order of the Bath, Commander in Chief of His Majesty’s Forces in North America, (now Lord Amherst) by William Brassier, Draughtsman. 1762. London: Robert Sayer and John Bennet, Aug.st 5th 1776. Second state (with the additional paragraph on the battle of Valcour Island, dated October the 11.th 1776).

No bibliographer seems ever to have seen A1 (Streeter presumes it is the half-title). Perhaps χ1 is merely A1, and the collation is simply A4?

The previous marks of ownership have been fairly successfully removed, although a faint notation of “N 90(?)” at the upper edge of the front paste-down suggests that this was in a large collection. Indications of new precincts or counties southwest of South Carolina point to Southern ownership.

Howes A 208, Sabin 1147; Schwartz & Ehrenberg, The Mapping of America p. 109; Streeter I:73.

Item #JLR0833

Price: $18,500

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