PBA Galleries

12  lines, written in Hawaiian, in ink, below which is a small sketch map of the survey. On sheet measuring 25.5x20.3 cm (10x8). Signed C.J. Lyons Sur.

Rare 1851 manuscript survey of land on the island of Hawaii, surveyed for the "Great Māhele," the Hawaiian land redistribution proposed by King Kamehameha III. Curtis J. Lyons, just 18 at the time this survey was made, was one of the earliest Hawaiian surveyors and later served as assistant surveyor to surveyor-general  William D. Alexander. He eventually became Head of the Government  Survey Office at Honolulu, and also assisted in the early triangulation on Maui and Hawaii. In 1903 Lyons wrote "A History of the Hawaiian Government Survey with notes on Land matters in Hawaii". He also established the first official weather service under government auspices  within the Hawaiian Government Survey. PBA Galleries sold a similar survey in December, 2017, for lot number 9926; the present document is for lot number 9927. It is from the same consignor, who informs us that they were the only two surveys in his possession.