Tunison's Oceania is an arresting window onto the Pacific world as imagined and administered in 1881. Drawn by H. C. Tunison for his Peerless Universal Atlas of the World, it distills a vast and scattered region—Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii, Micronesia, French Polynesia, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Tonga—into a legible, richly annotated tableau. A visually distinct cartouche at lower right proclaims the title, while a mastery of engraving draws coastlines, archipelagos, and oceanic voids with equal grace. Tunison’s reputation for ornate clarity is fully on display: political boundaries and physical contours coexist, revealing a Pacific at once scientifically surveyed and still being shaped by imperial ambition and maritime curiosity.

At the heart of the composition is a compact yet revealing table of colonial possessions, a ledger of power naming Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Portugal across Oceania. This declarative sidebar turns the map into a geopolitical document, situating islands as nodes in far‑flung imperial networks. British authority frames Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji; France’s reach appears in New Caledonia and Tahiti; Spain’s legacy lingers across Micronesian chains; Dutch claims touch New Guinea’s western rim; Portugal’s Timorese foothold haunts the region’s western threshold. Ports, straits, and capes are annotated with practical intent, intimating steamer tracks and sailing passages that knitted the Pacific’s immense spaces into the era’s commerce, missions, and telegraphy.

Stylistically, Tunison favors the refined palette and crisp line work that defined late‑nineteenth‑century American atlas craft. A disciplined graticule and generous ocean labeling—Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean prominently named—anchor the eye, while delicate coastal shading and color washes articulate political territories without crowding the page. The composition likely employs a cylindrical projection in the Mercator tradition, privileging bearings and the east‑west sweep of navigation, an apt choice for a sea that is more route than continent. Engraved typography separates island groups and colonies with quiet elegance, and the ornamental cartouche balances utility with flourish, anchoring the sheet as both reference work and decorative object.

Equally compelling is the map’s embrace of the unknown. Tunison records phantom islands—Byer and Morrell—born from the controversial voyages of American sealer‑captain Benjamin Morrell, plotted northwest of Hawaii. Their presence is a rare, candid acknowledgement of cartography’s transitional moment: residual conjecture alongside accelerating hydrographic precision. Such spectral notations evoke the era’s appetite for discovery and the lingering authority of navigators’ journals, even as naval surveys were steadily erasing earlier myths. In a single glance, one sees the Pacific as memory and measurement—an ocean of stories tightening into data, with margins where rumor and reef still met.

Read as a regional portrait, the sheet moves from continental anchors to coral chains with an assured hand. Australia’s colonial outlines and New Zealand’s twin islands stand as southern keystones; to the north and east unfurl the stepping‑stones of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia—Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Kiribati (Gilberts), Tuvalu (Ellice), Tonga, Samoa, and French Polynesia—each crisply named, their reefs, passes, and principal ports annotated for the traveler and the trader. Papua New Guinea’s serrated coasts confront open ocean; Hawaii rises as a mid‑ocean crossroads. It is a map that reads like a voyage: legible, luminous, and alive to the entwined geographies of empire, sea, and island.

Countries and regions on this map

• Australia
• New Zealand
• Fiji
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Hawaii
• Micronesia
• French Polynesia
• Solomon Islands
• Vanuatu
• New Caledonia
• Tuvalu
• Kiribati
• Tonga

Notable Features & Landmarks

• The visually distinct cartouche with the map's title, "Tunison's Oceania."
• A table detailing European colonial possessions in the region.
• Several annotations highlighting the locations of islands, ports, and other geographical features.
• Illustrations of phantom islands such as Byer and Morrell.
• Labels for major bodies of water, including the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Historical and design context

• Antique map from Henry Cuthbert Tunison's Peerless Universal Atlas of The World.
• Date of creation: 1881.
• Mapmaker: H.C. Tunison; known for detailed, ornate maps that advanced late-19th-century cartography.
• Themes: political and physical geography of Oceania; colonial possessions and maritime routes.
• Design and style: detailed, colorful engraving typical of the era.
• Historical significance: reflects Oceania’s geopolitical landscape during colonial expansion and interest in mapping uncharted territories.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 90in (230cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

Many of our maps and art prints are chosen as thoughtful gifts for homes, offices, studies and meaningful places.

Choose a framed option for the easiest ready-to-hang gift, or choose an unframed print if the recipient may prefer to select their own frame.

We make orders locally in 23 countries around the world, so gifts can often be produced close to the recipient. This helps them arrive faster, travel more safely, and avoid customs or import duty surprises.

• We can deliver directly to the recipient
• Framed pieces arrive ready to hang
• Unframed prints are carefully packed in a strong protective tube
• Almost every order is made locally, for faster, safer gifting
• 90-day returns give the recipient time to decide

If you are not sure what to choose, please contact us. We can help you pick the right map, size, finish or delivery option.

Most orders are made locally and delivered in around 2–3 working days, depending on the product, size and destination.

We print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world, so your order is usually made close to you or your recipient. That means faster delivery, less time in transit, and no customs or import duty surprises.

Personalised and customised pieces usually take an extra 1–2 working days, because we prepare your design and send it to you for approval before printing.

Very large framed orders can take a little longer, as they need extra care in production and delivery.

Every order is carefully packaged: unframed prints are sent in a strong protective tube, while framed pieces are securely packed with protective materials around the frame.

If you need your order by a particular date, please contact us before ordering. We’ll check the best production route and delivery option for your location.

Express delivery is available at checkout for most countries. Next-day delivery is available in the UK, US, Singapore and the UAE.

Your order is covered by our 90-day returns policy and 10-year guarantee.

Read our full delivery and local production guide

Our standard frame is a gallery-style black ash hardwood frame, with a simple, modern look. It is approximately 20mm (0.8in) wide. You can also view some lovely customer photos of framed maps and art.

We use super-clear acrylic glazing, also known as Perspex or Acrylite, instead of traditional glass. It is lighter, safer, and has lower reflectivity, giving the artwork a clearer, cleaner appearance.

Six standard frame colours are available at no extra cost: black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white, and antique gold. Custom framing and mounting/matting is also available for customers looking for something more specific.

Most maps, art prints, and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced wooden box frame, and then float the piece within a wooden outer frame. The finished result is beautifully presented, with no glazing between you and the artwork.

All frames are supplied ready to hang, with either string or brackets fitted to the back. Very large frames will include heavy-duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

We can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag, and other materials.

If you would prefer to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read our size guide before ordering.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

Se non sei soddisfatto del tuo ordine per qualsiasi motivo, contattami per un rimborso senza problemi. Si prega di consultare la nostra politica di reso e rimborso per ulteriori informazioni.

Sono molto sicuro che ti piacerà la tua mappa restaurata o la stampa d'arte. Lo faccio dal 1984. Sono un venditore Etsy a 5 stelle. Ho venduto decine di migliaia di mappe e stampe d'arte e ho oltre 5.000 recensioni reali a 5 stelle.

Utilizzo un processo unico per restaurare mappe e opere d'arte che richiede molto tempo e lavoro. Trovare le mappe e le illustrazioni originali può richiedere mesi. Utilizzo tecnologia all'avanguardia e incredibilmente costosa per scannerizzare e restaurarle. Di conseguenza, garantisco che le mie mappe e stampe d'arte siano superiori alle altre - ecco perché posso offrire un rimborso senza problemi.

Quasi tutte le mie mappe e stampe d'arte sembrano fantastiche a grandi dimensioni (200 cm, 6,5 piedi+) e posso anche incorniciarle e consegnarle a te, tramite un corriere speciale per oggetti di grandi dimensioni. Contattami per discutere delle tue esigenze specifiche.