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Joseph Frederick Wallet Des Barres (1721-1824) was born in either Paris or Basel, Switzerland, to a Hugueont family. He studied under the great mathematician Daniel Bernoulli at the University of Basel before immigrating to Britain, where he trained at the Royal Military College, Woolwich.

Upon the outbreak of hostilities with France in 1756, he joined the British Royal American Regiment as a military engineer. He came to the attention of General James Wolfe, who was impressed with his charting ability. During this period, he also worked with the legendary future explorer, James Cook, on a monumental chart of the St. Lawrence River.

Des Barres is best known for the Atlantic Neptune, was a remarkable, multi-volume set of sea charts and coastal views prepared from recent surveys, some of which were overseen by Des Barres in Nova Scotia after the Seven Years’ War. The maps, charts, and views were prepared under the supervision of Des Barres and employed as many as twenty engravers and assistants. They were produced over the course of a decade, from 1774 to 1784, in time to be used by the Royal Navy in the American Revolution.

After the Revolution, Loyalists were resettled throughout Canada. As part of this process, a new colony was created by separating Cape Breton from Nova Scotia. Des Barres, who already owned extensive lands in the Maritimes, served as lieutenant governor of Cape Breton Island from 1784 to 1787. He later served as governor of Prince Edward Island from 1804-1812.

Des Barres lived an exceptionally long life, even by today's standards, finally dying at age 102. Des Barres' funeral was held at St. George's Round Church in 1824 and he is buried in Halifax.

Place/Date:
London / 1777
Size:
29 x 20.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
65118
Place/Date:
London / 1777 circa
Size:
23.5 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51310
Place/Date:
London / 1776
Size:
41.75 x 29 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
59282
Place/Date:
London / 1781
Size:
19 x 26 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
51249

Archived

Place/Date:
London / 1777
Size:
30 x 61 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
28629
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
40 x 28 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26689
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
40 x 28 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
43088
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
41 x 28.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
52086
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
41 x 28.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
65028
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
41 x 28.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
71367
Place/Date:
London / 1775
Size:
41 x 28.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
84129mb
Place/Date:
London / 1776
Size:
41 x 29 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
48612
Place/Date:
London / 1780 circa
Size:
40 x 29 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
70982
Place/Date:
London / 1778
Size:
30.5 x 21 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24199
Place/Date:
London / 1781
Size:
42 x 29 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
42756mb
Place/Date:
London / 1776
Size:
42 x 29.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
76165
Place/Date:
London / 1779
Size:
41 x 29.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
38963
Place/Date:
London / 1776
Size:
30.5 x 41.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51285
Place/Date:
London / 1780
Size:
41 x 28 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25088
Place/Date:
London / 1776
Size:
20 x 28.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
65249ops
Place/Date:
London / 1781 circa
Size:
22 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
52065
Place/Date:
n.p. / 1779 (20th century)
Size:
28.25 x 18 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
79767
Place/Date:
London / 1779
Size:
63 x 24 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
9033
Place/Date:
London / 1779
Size:
63 x 24 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
56664
Place/Date:
London / 1779
Size:
63 x 24 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
55659
Place/Date:
London / 1779
Size:
24 x 63 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
74421
Place/Date:
London / 1780
Size:
42 x 29.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
19465
Place/Date:
London / 1781
Size:
24 x 32.5 inches
Condition:
VG-
Stock#:
49762
Place/Date:
London / 1780
Size:
30.5 x 41.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87167