Rare separately issued chart of the West Coast of Europe.

The chart is by the Dutch Rear-Admiral Christoffel Middagten (?1659-1723). In 1705, after his retirement from the Navy, Middagten set about producing sea charts and several treaties on the art of navigation. He states in his work: 'Nieuw Bericht strekkende tot Verbeetering der Scheeps-Bouw...', Harlingen, 1717-1721, that he drew 13 charts of the Northern Navigation. These and eight other charts (Gernez mentions 21 charts by Middagten) were issued separately by Johannes Loots between 1706-1717. The charts were, however, not a commercial success as they 'were inferior to most of the Dutch charts at the time as they were not drawn with increasing latitudes apart from one' (Koeman).

All charts by Middagten are rare. The OCLC gives locations for only 11 of his charts, and we were unable to trace any institutional copy of the present chart.