Chagos Archipelago, New Caledonia & Maldives—Coral Reefs—Charles Darwin 1895 map

£150

SKU

Great Chagos Bank; Menchicoff Atoll [Kwajalein Atoll]; Mahlos Mahdoo Atoll [Maalhosmadulu Atolls]; Horsburgh Atoll [Goidhoo Atoll]; New Caledonia; Maldiva Archipelago [Maldives]


Charles Darwin’s comparative plate brings together the Great Chagos Bank and a section across it; Menchicoff Atoll (Kwajalein); Mahlos Mahdoo (Maalhosmadulu) with Horsburgh Atoll (Goidhoo); New Caledonia; and the Maldiva Archipelago. Compiled principally from hydrographic surveys by Captain Robert Moresby and Lieutenant F. T. Powell, with material from Krusenstern’s atlas and Captain Hagemeister, it records soundings, submerged banks and sharply contrasting reef forms. These were evidence, not simply geographical illustrations. Darwin supplied the first comprehensive, testable explanation of how coral islands developed: reef-building corals remain near the sunlit surface while their volcanic foundations slowly subside, so fringing reefs become separated from the land as barrier reefs and ultimately survive as ring-shaped atolls after the central island disappears. First published in 1842 in The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs—one of the foundational works of modern reef geology—this is a later 1895 printing, engraved by J. & C. Walker.

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Size 23 x 30 cm | 9.0 x 12.0 inches

Date Published: 1895

Type: Antique engraved map

Author: Darwin, Charles

Charles Robert Darwin (1809–1882), compiler; principally after surveys by Robert Moresby and F. T. Powell, with Krusenstern’s Atlas and Captain Hagemeister; engraved by J. & C. Walker

Publication: The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs

Charles Darwin, The Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs, third edition. New York: D. Appleton and Company

Condition: Good |

Good; suitable for framing. Printed without a lower left hand margin, which has been restored. Please check the scan for any blemishes prior to making your purchase. This is a folding map. There is nothing printed on the reverse side, which is plain

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Condition Guide

We assess the condition of each item using three categories: Good, Fair, and Poor. We strive to ensure that any significant flaws are clearly shown in the images provided and detailed in the accompanying condition statement.

Good

The item presents well, with no significant flaws, and is in frameable condition. Minor imperfections—such as light spotting or offsetting, small blemishes, tight margins, neatly repaired tears, or discreet/professionally executed restoration—do not materially detract from its overall appearance.

Fair

The item shows noticeable flaws but remains in frameable condition. Some buyers may feel these imperfections affect its visual appeal. Typical issues may include more prominent spotting, blemishes, bleed-through from the reverse, obvious offsetting, visible or extensive restoration, wear along fold lines or junctures, small wormholes, trimmed or closely cropped edges, or less carefully executed repairs.

Poor

The item has major flaws that significantly impact its presentation and/or suitability for framing. These may include heavy spotting, staining, bleed-through, offsetting, unrepaired damage, or poorly executed repairs such as tears, holes, or areas of paper loss (including within the printed image). The item may also be fragile and prone to further deterioration.