Antique Plan of Constantinople, Galata and Scutari, Niebuhr, 1776

This is an original antique copper engraving from 1776, a plan of Constantinople with Galata and Scutari. The caption below the plan reads in Dutch Grondtékening der Stéden Constantinopel, Galata en Scudar. and in French Plan des Villes de Constantinopel, de Galata & de Scudar., meaning plan of the cities of Constantinople, Galata and Scudar (Scutari).

The walled peninsula of Constantinople fills the lower left, divided into blocks with many numbered sites, its land walls running down the left side and the point at the right lettered Seroj s. Serail. Across the water at the top center lies the walled town lettered GALATA, with Top Châna and Funduklü along the shore beyond it, and on the far shore at the right lies SCUDAR, with Chalcedonia and Kadi Koi further down that coast. Hills and gardens are drawn in stipple and small tree marks.

A compass with its needle pointing up sits on the water at the lower center, beside a scale from 0 to 3000 lettered Pass: geom: and Schaale van een uur gaans. and Echelle d'une lieue de Chemin. (scale of one hour's walk). The credit Th. Koning, fec. is lettered under the lower right corner, and the plate number Tab. III. is engraved at the upper right.

The plate comes from the first volume of Voyage en Arabie & en d'autres Pays circonvoisins, the French translation of Carsten Niebuhr's account, its title page reading TOME PREMIER. Traduit de l'Allemand. A AMSTERDAM, chez S. J. BAALDE. A UTRECHT, chez J. VAN SCHOONHOVEN & COMP. MDCCLXXVI. Carsten Niebuhr (1733 to 1815) was a German born surveyor in Danish service and the only member of the Danish expedition to Arabia (1761 to 1767), sent by King Frederick V of Denmark, to return alive. The account was first published in German at Copenhagen; this is the French translation printed in Amsterdam and Utrecht.

Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Handling soiling along all four edges. Scattered light foxing in the margin. Folding plate, original folds as issued. Slight wear at the bottom left corner.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.