Asia.- Shippard (William Henry, Captain, Army officer in the 29th Regiment, friend of George Catlin, 1803-65) Shippard's manuscript map of the Middle East, Indian Sub-Continent, and East Asia, with extensive annotations in the surrounding margins, detailing important events and Ancient Kingdoms within the region, pen and ink, watercolour, traces of pencil, on wove paper without watermark, laid onto linen, sheet 485 x 560 mm (19 x 22 in), ink stains and damp-stains, notably to the lower lettered margin, some old tears repaired, slightly rough edges, heavy surface dirt in places, unframed, [mid 19th century]; together with nine folders of extensive manuscript information on the region, and elsewhere, separated into geographic location, all loose, [mid 19th century] (Sm. qty.)

Provenance:
Captain William Henry Shippard; then by descent to the present owners

⁂ A unique and unusual map of the region, having formed part of the Shippard's great unfinished project, the "Museum of Mankind", with extensive archive of supplementary manuscript notes.

The museum, which Shippard went to great lengths to plan and establish was "intended to illustrate the History of Man by means of popular Lectures, aided and enforced by Scenery, Maps, Costumes, &c., adding every scenic attraction to the higher views of Instruction, and combining Art, History, Travels, and Geography."