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War of the Polish Succession (1733-8)

The Rhine and Moselle rivers and parts of Italy

    ANONYMOUS

    Map of Tortona, 1734 (Tortona, Piedmont, Italy) 44°53ʹ52ʺN 08°51ʹ49ʺE

    1734 or later

    Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on coarse linen | Scale: 1:6,500 approx. | RCIN 727045

    A map of the fortifications of Tortona, besieged by the Allied Sardinian, French and Spanish troops and taken on 5 February 1734. War of the Polish Succession (1733-8). Oriented with ? to top.

    This map appears to be in the same hand as RCINs 727042 and 727044.

    Additional text: [down left side of map, in rectangular panel, a key, 1-23, to the named bastions, redoubts and other parts of the fortifications; a second key: 1, 2, A, to the batteries and trenches, with a short account of the numbers and their calibre, and the dates in January when some were established, and the date and time of capitulation at 1400 hrs on 5 February:] Renvoi.

    Condition: one fold line. Verso: surface dirt; brown discolouration.

    • Anonymous (cartographer)

    • Watermark: The sun, a face in a double circle surrounded by several rays; countermark, indistinct: CI?

      Mark, stamped: 240

      Condition: one fold line. Verso: surface dirt; brown discolouration

    • Scale: 1:6,500 approx. Scale bar: Toises de france n.o 200 [60 mm =].

      40.7 x 43.3 cm (neatline)

      41.7 x 60.6 cm (image)

      45.7 x 64.5 cm (sheet)

    • Manuscript title:

      PLAИ DE LA VILLE E CHATEAV DE TORTONE E SES ATAQVES [top centre, in banner cartouche]

      Additional text:

      Renvoi. [down left side of map, in rectangular panel, a key, 1-23, to the named bastions, redoubts and other parts of the fortifications; a second key: 1, 2, A, to the batteries and trenches, with a short account of the numbers and their calibre, and the dates in January when some were established, and the date and time of capitulation at 1400 hrs on 5 February:]

      Annotations:

      George III heading: Tortona taken by the Allies 5 Feb.y 1734 [on a white paper strip pasted to verso:].

      Other annotations: (Recto) [top right, black pencil, erased and illegible:] [...25?] 1734. (Verso) [top left, black pencil:] I [or J] -4; [top right, black pencil, in same hand as ‘J-4’:] 1734; [bottom right, red pencil:] 6/41; [bottom right, underneath paper strip, black pencil:] C[?]R.

      George III catalogue entry:

      Tortona Plan dessiné de la Ville et Chateau de Tortone et ses Attaques, prise par les Alliés le 5 Fevrier 1734.

    • Subject(s)

      Tortona, Piedmont, Italy (44°53ʹ52ʺN 08°51ʹ49ʺE)

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