Pedro de Murillo Velarde (1696-1753), engraved map - ‘Carta Hydrographica y Chorographica delas Yslas Filipinas Dedicada al Rey Nuestro Señor Por el Mariscal d Campo D. Fernando Valdes Tamon Cavallº del Orden de Santiago de Govor. y Capn. General de dichas Yslas‘, (The Murillo Velarde Map), engraved by Nicolás de la Cruz Bagay, published Manilla 1734, title cartouche at the top with the Royal Bourbon coat of arms, supported by two cherubs with trumpets, the title on a cloth held by two female allegorical figures bearing charts and instruments for navigation. A further ornate cartouche below, surmounted by a crowned lion wielding a sword and a candle, contains a brief history of the archipelago starting with Magellan's arrival and death in 1521, a description of the resources: ‘These islands are numerous and rich: they have gold, wax, sugar, honey, tobacco, ginger, indigo, Brazil wood (sibucao), pitch, rice, salt, wheat, maize, lemons, oranges, bananas and many fruits and edible roots, palo Maria, tamarind, cassia-trees, Catbalogan seeds, dragon blood, lignum vitae, coconuts, bamboos, rattan and many kinds of palms, mahogany, tindalo and excellent timber for ships: horse, caraboas or buffaloes, cows, pigs, deer, chickens and much fish.’ There follows a description of the settlements, peoples, clergy and administration, all above an engraving of his ship the Victoria. The map is dissected and re-mounted on linen, 111cm x 120cm, early pen inscription verso - ‘map of the Philippine Islands’, folding map in later slip case.

An extremely rare map and believed to be one of only around 15 extant examples of this first edition - the majority in International Institutions, and not all examples retain the flanking vignettes. Cited as the first scientific map of the Philippines and considered the most important Philippines map, it is celebrated for its detail and accuracy, it features shipping routes for trade with China and charts the course of Magellan’s navigations. The map features twelve flanking vignettes encapsulating the essence of the Philippines, depicting different ethnic groups, customs, flora and fauna, also featured are miniature maps of Guajan (Guam), Manila, Samboangan and Cavite , all extensively annotated. The map influenced all subsequent Philippine maps for decades to follow but its influence was also notable on European maps. In recent times The Murillo Velarde map has been instrumental in the Philippines' efforts to assert territorial rights in the South China Sea. The map, together with others was used by the Philippines' team of experts to refute China's historic claim of ownership of the entire South China Sea. It features ‘Panacot’ (Scarborough Shoal) as well as ‘Los Bajos de Paragua’ (Spratly Isles). In 2016 the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favour of the Philippines stating that China had "no historical rights". China however, rejected the ruling.

Provenance: Purchased from the map dealer Susanna Fisher, 1986 for £4,500. She had acquired the map from a trade source some years before and prior to that the map was believed to have been in private hands in the U.K. She states in correspondence that the ancient pen inscription in English to the reverse suggests that this map has been in the U.K. for a very long period of time,

Condition Report

Each corner has evidence of drawing pin holes with associated damage / slight losses, tear to the paper top left corner (prior to mounting on canvas), generally some staining towards periphery of each panel, particularly to central panels, and slight losses at margins of certain panels, conservation repairs and patching to canvas (patching at several of the folds) tonally the paper and ink is consistent throughout, some small tears at folds of canvas, generally some time staining and deterioration commensurate with age, no severe damages.

Overall colour is yellowed somewhat but largely consistent throughout, some repair to canvas particularly at folds, detrioration to outer edges of each panel, staining to outer edges particulate to central two rows. Most of the maps is in good mostly original condition almost all of the printed element present,

More specifically -

Left row, top panel: damage and small losses top left corner, a tear runs diagonal from side upwards above printed element, stains at periphery, small tears at left side

Left row, second panel: stains lower right, top right corner and lower edge, minor marks

left row, third panel:small losses top left corner, minor deterioration upper edge, stains top right corner

left row, fourth panel:some staining to corners, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner

l;eft row, Fifth panel:slight loss top left corner, couple of fox masks, brown stain far right in map section, stain top right corner, small tear to canvas beyond lower right corner

Left row, sixth panel: Some damage and small losses to printed element lower left corner, staining to left edge,

Second row, top panel:stains left and right edges, canvas repair beyond top left corner, canvas tear beyond lower right corner, stains

Second row, second panel: staining to corners, small tear to can vas beyond lower right corner

Second row, third panel:staining to corners

Second row, fourth panel: staining to corners, small tear beyond lower right corner,

Second row, Fifth panel: staining and some slight deterioration to corners, small tear to canvas beyond lower right corner,

Second row, sixth panel: some slight losses/deterioration lower right corner/ top right corner, brown staining around area of ship-Victoria

Third row, top panel:some deterioration slight losses to corners, staining to corners, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner

Third row, second panel:staining to corners, minor blemishes

Third row, third panel: staining to corners, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner,

Third row, fourth panel: minor stains lower right corner, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner

Third row, Fifth panel: minor staining to periphery, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner,

Third row, sixth panel:staining to left edge, top right corner, detrioration to lower left corner

Right row, top panel: some small losses top right corner, bottom right corner, and deterioration lower edge, staining to periphery

Right row, second panel: minor staining to right edge, minor blemishes,

Right row, third panel:minor staining to right edge,

Right row, fourth panel:staining to right edge, element here above the image top edge is a separate piece of paper and slightly misaligned, continues horizontally across the map, presume this is reflecting how the map was printed and presented before division and mounting rather than a replaced element.

Right row, Fifth panel:staining right edge, slight losses lower right corner, repair to canvas beyond lower right corner,

Right row, sixth panel: staining slight damage left edge, losses lower right corner, slight loss top left corner, blemishes