John Seller was an English map and chart maker, a map and chart seller and an instrument maker. He published maps, atlases, almanacs and astronomical charts, as well as the first significant practical manuals for sailors. In March 1671 he was appointed Hydrographer of the King. Seller had a son Jeremiah, occasionally also John jr., who had learned from him and also worked as a cartographer, publisher and map maker in a collaboration with Charles Price.
The trade in nautical charts was dominated by the Dutch until the second half of the 17th century. Seller often used Dutch nautical charts and replaced the original title with an English one. Between 1671 and 1675 Seller published the first four books of The English Pilot. During the fifth book in 1677 he ran into financial difficulties and entered into a partnership with John Thornton, William Fisher, John Colson and James Atkinson. But this partnership was short-lived and the consortium took over most of Seller's map business. The English Pilot was very popular and appeared in many editions until the end of the 18th century. Around 1700 it was published by Thornton and Fisher, after Thornton's death in 1708 his son Samuel took over the business. But he died shortly after, and the stock was acquired by Mount and Page.
John Seller's most important atlases appeared in London with the following titles:
- The English Pilot, 1671-77
- The Coasting Pilot, 1672-94
- Atlas Maritimus, 1675-82
- A Pocket Book, 1676-77
- Atlas Anglicanus, 1675-81
- Atlas caelestis, 1680
- Hydrographia Universalis, 1695
A Chart of Guinea. Describing the Sea Coast from Cape de Verde to Cape de Bona Espransa
John Seller, London, 1677-79
Very rare sea chart of West Africa by John Seller. This beautiful sea chart shows the coast of Africa from Senegal, Cape Verde, along the West African coast to the Gulf of Guinea, across the coasts...11907
Sea chart of Guinea. Printed in London by John Seller in 1677.
The Western Ocean By Jer Seller and Cha Price
Jeremiah Seller & Charles Price, London, 1686 (1710)
A very rare sea chart of the Atlantic by John Seller. Includes almost all of South America as well as large parts of North America, Africa and Southern Europe. The map is based on the four-sheet...11906
Coloured sea chart of the Atlantic Ocean. Printed in London by Jeremiah Seller & Charles Price in 1710.