Sea Charts · 18th century
€ 190
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Very good impression with minor age-toning at edges, faint foxing to outer margins, no tears or repairs. Paper remains crisp with strong plate imprint.
Burmese Alphabet Chart – Antique Linguistic Print from Symes' 1800 Ava Mission
This rare and visually engaging antique print presents a comparative chart of the Burmese alphabet, titled "Alphabet Birman, appelé Kagie-Kagué." It originates from the French edition of the important 1800 publication 'Relation de l'Ambassade Anglaise, envoyée en 1795 dans le Royaume d'Ava, ou l'Empire des Birmans', authored by Michael Symes. Symes was the envoy sent by the British East India Company to the court of Ava (present-day Myanmar), and this publication is a foundational European account of Burmese language, politics, and culture at the close of the 18th century.
This specific plate serves as a linguistic bridge, offering a transliteration table that compares Burmese script with its Sanskrit equivalents and French phonetic transcriptions. The table is organized into columns showing:
– The Burmese characters
– Their corresponding Devanagari/Sanskrit equivalents
– Transliterated sounds (e.g., "Ka," "Kha," "Nga")
– Their names in Burmese
– French equivalents or approximations
Of particular note is the section at the bottom displaying 'Noms de Nombre', or the numerals 1–100,000 in Burmese script, and an example of a Pali sentence written in Burmese script—referred to as "Le Pali ou Texte Sacré des Birmans." This highlights the liturgical use of Pali in Theravāda Buddhism and its importance in Burmese religious life.
This print is significant for collectors of Orientalist material, linguistic history, or early European representations of Southeast Asia. It offers not just a visual tool for understanding Burmese phonetics and script, but also a glimpse into colonial and scholarly approaches to Burmese language study at the turn of the 19th century.
Condition: Very good impression with minor age-toning at edges, faint foxing to outer margins, no tears or repairs. Paper remains crisp with strong plate imprint.
Framing tips: This chart would look elegant in a black or teak frame with a cream or soft ivory mat, ideally floated to showcase the plate mark. A museum-style frame would emphasize its scholarly and cultural importance.
Technique: Copper engraving
Maker: Published by Henri Agasse, after the mission of Michael Symes, Paris, 1800
