Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
178
Important early map of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands
OXHOLM, PETER LOTHARIUS
Charte over den Danske Øe St. Croix i America forfærdiget i Aaret 1794, og udgivet i Aaret 1799. First edition (there is a second edition in which Oxholm is identified as a general, rather than an "Oberst af Infanteriet" as here). Copenhagen: G.N. Angelo, circa 1799. Two folding maps, housed in a leather-backed pull-off marbled map case of the period. Each 26 1/2 x 73 inches (67 x 186 cm); the engraved maps, of the east and west parts of the island, are each dissected to 16 panels and laid to linen (perhaps as published, though we do note one undissected example). Light wear to the case, minor age-toning to the paper, old finger-soil to the west panel, but in all a fresh example.
A very rare and desirable early map of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, at the time under Danish rule. The map provides an overview of the districts and a table of the population and agriculture in Danish and English, including the number of slaves. The plantations, owned by Danes and by English and Irish planters who had been squeezed out of Nevis and Antigua by the process of consolidation of large estates, are indicated by numbers and names (Little Profit, Work and Rest, Tipperare, Prosperity, and Hard Labour). The various districts are indicated by Roman numerals. Oxholm lived on St. Croix as a planter for some years, and later still served as the Governor-General of the Danish West Indies for a year, until ill health forced his retirement in 1816. He died in 1827.
Sold for $4,800
Estimated at $800 - $1,200
Includes Buyer's Premium
OXHOLM, PETER LOTHARIUS
Charte over den Danske Øe St. Croix i America forfærdiget i Aaret 1794, og udgivet i Aaret 1799. First edition (there is a second edition in which Oxholm is identified as a general, rather than an "Oberst af Infanteriet" as here). Copenhagen: G.N. Angelo, circa 1799. Two folding maps, housed in a leather-backed pull-off marbled map case of the period. Each 26 1/2 x 73 inches (67 x 186 cm); the engraved maps, of the east and west parts of the island, are each dissected to 16 panels and laid to linen (perhaps as published, though we do note one undissected example). Light wear to the case, minor age-toning to the paper, old finger-soil to the west panel, but in all a fresh example.
A very rare and desirable early map of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, at the time under Danish rule. The map provides an overview of the districts and a table of the population and agriculture in Danish and English, including the number of slaves. The plantations, owned by Danes and by English and Irish planters who had been squeezed out of Nevis and Antigua by the process of consolidation of large estates, are indicated by numbers and names (Little Profit, Work and Rest, Tipperare, Prosperity, and Hard Labour). The various districts are indicated by Roman numerals. Oxholm lived on St. Croix as a planter for some years, and later still served as the Governor-General of the Danish West Indies for a year, until ill health forced his retirement in 1816. He died in 1827.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
