English engraver and cartographer Thomas Kitchin (1718-1784) began his career as an apprentice to Emanuel Bowen, who later became his father-in-law. By the mid-eighteenth century Kitchin had established his own firm with premises first in Clerkenwell and then in Holborn. Throughout his career, he produced numerous cartographic works including both individual maps and larger atlases, and was made Hydrographer to King George II in 1773.

Among his earliest cartographic output is the present chart showing the waters of the North Sea, the English Channel, the Skagerrak strait and the Baltic. At the centre of the North Sea is a compass rose, with 32 lines spanning out from it to show the cardinal and intercardinal directions, as well as smaller divisions. Certain maritime obstacles such as banks and rocks are also identified. On the land, very many British, French, Dutch, German and Scandinavian ports, harbours and coastal cities are depicted.

The title of the map, housed in a cartouche illustrated with various instruments, plants and a putto, refers to the "German Ocean", a name that remained in use until the First World War, after which the "North Sea" was widely adopted. There are two notes on the chart, that in the upper right-hand corner explaining how the chart could be used in navigation, particularly in calculating the distance between places, and the second, in the lower left, naming the sources Kitchin had used to produce it:

"In the Drawing of this Chart great care has been taken to Collect the best Materials. The coasts of Norway, Sweden & Denmark were Drawn from Van Keulen's Survey, assisted by the Draught of the Baltic Sea Drawn by Order and with the approbation of Sr. John Norris. The Seven United Provinces from V. Keulen, Monss. Rouge and others. The Coast of France from the draughts of DeLisle & C. de Maurepas. The Coasts of England from particular Surveys Maps, Charts &c. The Coast of Scotland from the Surveys of Mr Adair, Bryce, & others. The Orkney Islands from Mr Mackenzie's draught and the Shetland Islands from van Keulen. The principal Cities Ports & Headlands being regulated by Astronl. Observations."

At this point in his career, Kitchin produced a number of European sea-charts; they were all published separately, and the present example offered for two pence, as stated at the end of the publisher's imprint. Unforunately, Kitchin did not have great success with the charts, becoming far better known for his maps and atlases, and thus very few examples of this chart have survived.

Exceptionally rare: we are able to trace only one institutional example, held by The University of Pittsburgh.