Striking example of the first state of Henricus Hondius’ map of North America, and the first Dutch atlas map to show California as an island. “Henricus Hondius’ beautifully engraved map of North America had greater influence than any other to date in perpetuating the theory of California as an island.” (Burden).
This was the first map titled North America in a folio atlas, with earlier maps showing both North and South America. It shows from the Arctic Circle down to Raleigh’s Parime Lacus and Manoa o el Dorado in South America. Only one Great Lake is depicted, Ontario (Lac des Iroquois). California is shown with a flat northern coast and four islands in the gulf, and the unknown regions to the north are hidden under a fine title cartouche in full color. Although John Speed’s map of America showed California as an island a decade earlier, it was only published with an English text. Hondius’ map, printed in several languages, reached further across Europe. The map first appeared in volume three of the Atlas Novus in 1636, with the same printing used for the Latin edition in 1638. Overall, this is a very handsome example of Hondius’ important map of the Americas, and a superb example of Dutch Baroque cartography at the height of its influence.
Henricus Hondius (1597-1651). America Septentrionalis, (Amsterdam: 1636-1639). Latin text edition with signature on verso: “Oooo.” Copperplate engraving with superb hand color. 18 3/8 x 21 ¾ inches at neatline. Overall size: 19 1/2 x 23 inches. Rust stain off the Grand Banks at upper right. A fine dark impression with some show through. Platemark is visible. Binding tab professionally removed on verso. Very fine condition. $9,500.
Sebastian Münster (1448-1552). Novae Insulae XXVI Nova Tabula, (Basel, Henri Petri: ca. 1542-1550). German edition. Published in Cosmographia. Woodcut, black and white as issued. 10 x 13 5/8 inches to neat line. Sheet size: 11 ½ x 15 ¼ inches. One area of repair on verso; archival hinges on verso for framing; single worm hole left and right center of paper; missing ink along lower center neatline. Overall, very good condition for this rare map. $12,000.
One of the most important and influential maps of the 16th century, Münster’s New World is the first separately printed map delineating North and South America in true continental form and the first map to refer to the ocean that Magellan christened the Mare Pacificum. In fact, Münster beautifully illustrates Magellan’s ship, the Victoria, maneuvering the waters off the western coast of South America. The map’s other historically notable features include the first depiction of Japan, denoted as Zipangri, which is based entirely on the accounts of Marco Polo and other early explorers. Münster miscalculates Japan’s true location, depicting it near the west coast of America. The rare artifact offered here is an outstanding example of Münster’s highly significant early map of the Americas. This map would be a pivotal addition to any collection focused on the Western Hemisphere.
Typus Orbis Terrarum was featured in the world’s first atlas, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Ortelius included the work as the first map in his atlas and it went through three editions in the later sixteenth century. The map includes a large continent at the bottom, Terra Australis Nondum Cognita meaning “the southern land not yet known.” The early mis-placement of Japan is prominent, as are the locations of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. North America is a study in guesswork and mythical cartography. This world map is based on Mercator’s map of 1569, Gastaldi’s map of 1561, and Diego Gutierrez’ portolan map of the coastlines of the Atlantic. Although the map is highly erroneous, it contains some of the best compilation work of the period, which was a hallmark of mapmaking in the sixteenth century. Additionally, Ortelius and his colleagues corrected the map as they released new editions of his atlas. This map is central to any collection of antique maps and represents a huge shift in the history of mapmaking.
Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598). Typus Orbis Terrarum (Antwerp, 1572). Published in the German editions of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Double-page copperplate engraving with full hand color. Image: 13 1/8 x 20 inches. Sheet: 15 ¼ x 20 ½ inches. German text on verso, with caption title “Die gantsche Welt” and signature l. Embellished with sea monsters and sailing ships. Good color; some repair at center fold; some oxidation. Very good condition. $12,000.
Abraham Ortelius (1528–1598). Cambriae Typus Auctore Humfredo Lhuydo . . . (Antwerp: 1574). Published in Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Latin Edition). Double-page copperplate engraving with hand color, 14 1/2 x 19 3/8 inches to neatline. Sheet: 17 1/2 x 22 7/8 inches. Latin text on verso: “Cambria sive Wallia 9”. Age toning and repair at upper right corner. Very good condition. $1,500.
Ortelius’ map is the first printed map specifically of Wales. Previously, published maps of Wales were included in general maps of the British Isles or Europe. This map appeared in Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas of the world. Included is a beautifully illustrated, ornate cartouche, a sailing ship, and sea monster. The atlas maps have been described as “the most outstanding engravings depicting the wide-spread interest in classical geography in the 16th century” (Van der Krogt). The exquisite maps feature Renaissance-style cartouches and decorative work including vessels, sea and mythological monsters, birds, medallions, etc. Noted art historian, James A. Welu, comments on “their richness of ornamentation, [they are] a combination of science and art that has rarely been surpassed in the history of mapmaking… Ortelius’s Theatrum is known for its numerous decorative cartouches, which undoubtedly added to the atlas’s long popularity.”
This decorative map is important for several reasons and therefore becomes a foundation map for a variety of collection subjects. It is a nice example of Tartary, Japan, and the west coast of North America, from Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terarrum, the first modern atlas of the world. It is the earliest obtainable map to name California and is one of the first to include the Strait of Anian (Stretto di Anian), today, the Bering Strait which separates North America and Asia. The map was designed to illustrate the expansive Tartar Kingdom, extending from the Caspian Sea in the west, to China, Japan and Russia in the east. The map is beautifully engraved by Frans Hogenberg and is filled with decoration including two encampments of Tartars, sailing ships, and an exaggerated flying fish.
Abraham Ortelius (1528–1598). Tartariae Sive Magni Chami Regni typus, (Antwerp: 1574). Published in Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Latin Edition). Double-page copperplate engraving with hand color, 13 3/4 x 18 1/2 inches to neatline. Sheet: 17 3/8 x 22 7/8 inches. Latin text on verso: “Tartaria sive Magni Chami Imperium 62”. Age toning, otherwise a strong impression in very good condition. $2,600.
Abraham Ortelius (1528–98). Asiae Nova Descriptio, (Antwerp: ca. 1579). Published in Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (First Modern World Atlas). Copperplate engraving with rich hand color on heavy paper. 14 1/2 x 19 1/8 inches to neatline. Sheet: 16 1/8 x 21 inches. Second state with Latin text, verso. Evenly toned paper. Remnants of hinges top verso; some repairs along centerfold and lower center on verso; some oxidation of color on verso. Very good condition. $3,000.
This rare and beautiful map of Asia by one of the most important cartographers of all time, Abraham Ortelius, presents the continent from the East to West showing Europe, the Pacific Ocean and Southeast Asia in remarkable hand color. This map shows the extent of the continent and its peripheral regions in either direction. In the 16th century, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean were active regions of maritime trade and exploration after sea routes superseded the well-traveled and historic Silk Roads. Ortelius mapped numerous islands and port cities that would have been vital to the Indian Ocean trade network that brought many Europeans to India. Despite some geographic discrepancies, the coastlines of India and further to Southeast Asia are extraordinarily accurate for the time. This is an example of the second edition of Ortelius’s map of Asia, the first having been published between 1570 and 1573.
A very nice example of the 1676 edition of Speed’s map of Asia, illustrated with 10 costumed figures and 8 town plans of important early Asian cities (Candy, Goa, Damascus, Jerusalem, Orumus, Bantam, Aden and Macao). The Great Wall of China is shown, along with an Elephant above the source of the Ganges. A Northeast passage is visible, along with a small part of North America, and sea monsters in the extreme North Pacific and Southern Indian Sea. The text on the verso presents a fascinating Anglocentric view of Asia in the early 17th Century.
John Speed (1551/52-1629). Asia with the Islands adioyning described, the atire of the people, & Townes of importance, all of them newly augmented . . . 1626 (London: 1676). Map identifies the map seller as Thomas Bassett and Richard Chiswell, making this a first edition issued in 1676 when the atlas was revised and re-issued. Published in Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World (including The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine). Double-page copperplate engraving with hand color. 15 1/2 x 20 ¼ inches at neat line. Sheet size: 15 7/8 x 20 ½ inches. Elaborate carte à figures decoration with eight town plans at top and two panels of costumed figures at left and right. Age toning with several chips along edges. Water staining at lower right with minor wrinkling throughout. Overall, good condition. Old English text on verso presenting a “Description of Asia.” $4,500
Nicolaes Visscher (1618-1679). Tabula Italiae, Corsicae, Sardiniae, et adjacentium Regnorum, nec non viva praecipuarum Urbium, Locorum, Insignum, et Vestituum delineatio, summa cura, et censura. (Amsterdam: Abraham Goos, 1652). Copper engraving with superb original hand color. 18 ¼ x 21 ½ inches at neat line; 20 ½ x 23 5/8 inches sheet size. Latin text. Minor spot of foxing at upper right. Overall, an extremely fine map, superbly engraved and colored. $7,500.
Visscher is well-known for the depth of accuracy within his maps, and for embellishing the maps’ beauty further with small detailing. This map of 17th century Italy is an example of fine detail, a high quality of engraving, exceptionally fine ornament, and accurate geographical information. The title appears in a rectangular cartouche at the upper right. Below it is a five-line dedication to the Republic of Venice signed by Nicolaus Iohannis Visscher. In the lower left corner, the engraver is mentioned: Sculptum apud Abrahamum Goos. At the lower right is a cartouche with two bar scales. Views of Italy’s major cities, including Rome, Venice, Florence, Verona, Siena and Parma, can be seen above and below the map. Figures displaying dress characteristic of various regions are in the side panels. There are also eight coats-of-arms in the panels. The map’s splendid engraving was the work of Abraham Goos, while the borders were etched in Visscher’s workshop.
This beautiful map is a superb example of the Visscher signature combination of up-to-date geographical information and Baroque aesthetics. It is one of the defining Dutch maps of the primary source of Dutch wealth for the second half of the 17th century. The map shows India and the Indian Ocean, the East Indies, the north coast of Australia showing the Gulf of Carpentaria, and New Guinea. China is shown, as are the southern coasts of Korea and Japan.
The engraving is well done and highly detailed, showing political and administrative boundaries, cities, towns, waterways, canals, landmarks, lakes and mountains. The cartouche illustrates the exoticism of the regions covered in the map, and the riches to be had.
Nicolaes Visscher II (1649-1702). Indiae Orientalis nec non Insularum Adiacentium Nova Descriptio. (Amsterdam: ca. 1670). Published in Atlas Minor sive Geographia Compendiosa. Also, published in Atlasses by Janssonius. Copperplate engraving on heavy paper with superb hand color and gold highlights. 18 1/4 x 22 1/8 inches at neat line. 21 1/4 x 25 inches sheet size. A decorative title cartouche comprised of a carved stone block, surrounded by oriental figures, trade goods, birds and animals at the lower left with a splendid compass rose above. Lettering heightened in gold. Very slight toning. Overall, a very fine copy of this handsome map. $4,500.
John Ogilby (1600-1676). Nova Hispania Nova Galicia Guatimala (Map of Mexico and Central America). (London, 1671). Appears in Ogilby’s Complete History of America and Arnoldus Montanus’ De nieuwe en onbekende weerld, 1671. Copperplate engraving on thin paper. Black and white as originally published. 11 3/8 x 13 7/8 inches at neat line;
15 7/8 x 18 ½ inches sheet. Platemark is visible with full margins. Minor foxing spots mostly in the lower margin; 2 pinpoint holes at right of the cartouche, and again, along coastline at San Miguel. Binding tab is visible. Light crease mark at lower right corner. Overall, very good condition. $1,200.
This early chart covers the coastline of Central America including, Mexico, the Yucatan, the Bay of Honduras, Costa Rica, and part of the Gulf Coast. The western coast of Florida and part of Cuba are included in the upper right corner of the map. Although coastal topography in this region was still relatively unexplored at this date, the map locates numerous settlements, rivers, and harbors in the interior and identifies multiple mountain ranges.
This is an excellent example of Johann Baptiste Homann’s decorative map of America, the first of two maps of America published by the Homann family. Following the first issue in 1710, the map was revised, and this later version, the second state, shows California as part of the mainland, rather than as an island as depicted in the first version.
There is good detail throughout the map, especially in the southwest and near the Great Lakes, which were then actively being explored by the French fur traders and Hudson’s Bay Company. The Great Lakes are depicted much larger than they are, creating a much different image of continental North America. In the southwest, it is important to note that several missionary settlements are labeled, including Carizal (1698) and San Pierre (1699), along with the Colorado River. Santa Fe is also labeled, as well as numerous Native American tribes, such as the Apache, Miami, and the Illinois.
Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724). Totius Americae Septentrionalis et Meridionalis Novissima Representatio quam ex fingulis Geographorum Tabulis collecta luci publicae accommodavit. (Nuremberg, 1720). Double-page copperplate engraving on heavy watermarked paper with excellent original body color. 19 1/8 x 22 ¼ inches at neat line; sheet size: 20 1/4 x 23 3/8 inches. Full margins. Interesting notations throughout, in an old hand. Ink smudge on verso upper left quadrant. Excellent condition. $3,500.
Highly descriptive and masterfully illustrated, Herman Moll’s map of the West Indies is one of the most interesting and compelling depictions of the region during the 18th century. Being one of the most popular English maps of the Caribbean during this period, the document offered here acted as an essential guide to understanding Spanish commerce in this resource rich region.
Herman Moll’s magnificent map of the West Indies covers a sweeping range of commercial, geographical, and cultural information. Focusing primarily on Spanish trade activity and expansion in the Caribbean as well as the development of the Gulf Coast, this map is an exceptional example of English interests during the 18th century.
Herman Moll (ca. 1654–1732). A Map of the West-Indies or the Islands of America in the North Sea…”. (London: J. Bowles, 1709-1720). Published in The World Described, or A New and Correct Sett of Maps… Copperplate engraving on two sheets of elephant folio paper with pleasing outline and some full color. 22 7/8 1/4 x 39 3/8 inches to neatline. Sheet: 25 x 41 ½ inches. Inset maps of important Spanish ports: Veracruz, Havana, Porto Bella, and Cartagena. Additional inset view of the City of Mexico in New Spain. Some restoration on verso at folds, otherwise, excellent condition. $6,500.
Guillaume Delisle (1675-1726) / Covens & Mortier. L’Amerique Meridionale: dressée sur les observations de Mrs. de L’Academie Royale des Sciences & quelques autres, & sur les memoires les plus recens. (Amsterdam: Covens & Mortier, ca. 1730). Published in Atlas Nouveau. Copperplate engraving with outline color on heavy paper. 17 7/8 x 22 ¾ inches to neatline. Sheet: 20 5/8 x 25 ½ inches. Even toning; slight staining in center right margin; four small unobtrusive holes in margins; slight separation at upper binding tab. Overall, very good condition. $950.
This is the Covens & Mortier version of the Guillaume Delisle map of South America illustrating the legendary lake, Lake Parime or Lake Parima, Lac des Xarayes which was reputedly the location of the fabled city of El Dorado. At the lower left is an impressive title cartouche. It shows routes of Magellan, Schouten, Medana, Sarmiento, le Maire, Gallego, Olivier and Drake. Delisle’s maps were especially valued for their exceptional details of the new world. The Amsterdam firm of Cóvens and Mortier published many of Guillaume Delisle’s maps with full credit well after Delisle’s death in 1726.
This highly detailed regional map of Russia includes an impressive title cartouche and panoramic view of St. Petersburg. The map shows the eastern portion of the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg, and the region known as Ingria. Ingria, was annexed by Peter the Great in 1721 at the conclusion of the Great Northern War with Sweden. The region formed a protective land barrier around the city of St. Petersburg. The map shows ports and towns, waterways and bodies, churches, forests, and notations. At the upper left is a large panoramic view of the city from the water, showing an apparently fictitious naval attack on the Peter and Paul Fortress. In the opposite corner is an elaborate title cartouche showing sea nymphs paying homage to Neptune. This is one of Homann’s more highly desirable and sought-after maps. The map is dated.
Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724). Ingermanlandiae seu Ingriae novissima Tabula luci tradita MDCCXXXIV. (Nuremberg: Homann Heirs, 1734). Publication: ATLAS mapparum geographicarum generalium & specialium CENTVM FOLIIS compositum et quotidianis usibus accommodatum accedit Introductio in Geographiam mathematicam, naturalem & historicam. Double-page copperplate engraving. Hand-colored in outline and wash. 18 1/2 x 21 7/8 inches at neat line with full margins. Sheet: 21 x 23 ¼ inches. Very good condition with one small split at lower margin. Original title on verso. $1,700.
Henry Roberts (1756-1796). Chart of the NW Coast of America and the NE Coast of Asia explored in the Years 1778 & 1779. The unshaded parts of the Coast of Asia are taken from a MS Chart received from the Russians. (London, ca. 1784). Copper engraving with fine hand color. 15 ½ x 26 7/8 inches to neatline. 16 5/8 x 27 5/8 inches sheet size. One spot of foxing at lower left, minimal staining in margins, repaired tear at upper right margins, just entering the printed image. Generally, very good condition. $2,000.
This is James Cook’s important chart of the coasts of north-west America and north-east Asia, showing the tracks of the Resolution 1778-1779. Cook’s chart was one of the great contributions to the charting of North America. While searching for a north-west passage, Cook charted the Alaskan coast, east to Hudson Bay and the north-east coast of Asia including Kamchatka. His chart confirmed the absence of the much sought-after Northwest Passage. Coastlines, settlements, and areas of indigenous populations in North America and northeast Asia are noted. Historical notes are also included.
Full Title: England and Wales, drawn from the most accurate surveys containing all the cities, boroughs, market towns & villages; in which are included all the improvements and observations both astronomical and topographical, which have been made by members of the Royal Society & others. Down to the present year, the whole corrected & improv’d b John Rocque, Chorographer to his Majesty.
This very detailed four-sheet map of England and Wales by John Rocque shows roads by type, cities, distances, market towns, latitude and longitude of important places, villages with and without post stages, distances from London, and more (see “Explanation” on map). Counties are outlined in color. Relief is shown pictorially. There is an inset map of the Isles of Scilly, many drawings of tall ships in fleets and alone, with abbeys and castles, noted. This map as well as his two-sheet map of Ireland appeared in Thomas Kitchin’s, A General Atlas Describing the Whole Universe of 1790.
John Rocque (originally Jean; ca. 1704-1762). England and Wales (London: Laurie & Whittle, 1794). Printed for Robt. Sayer Map & Printfeller at the Golden Buck in Fleet Street. Composite Map; Atlas Map. Copper engraving with hand color, on two large sheets. Northern section: 23 x 38 ¾ inches to neatline; sheet size: 24 ¾ x 39 7/8 inches. Southern section: 23 5/8 x 38 7/8 inches to neatline; sheet size: 24 7/8 x 40 inches. On heavy paper. Northern: crease in upper left quadrant with tear at fold lines. Southern: minor tearing along upper, left and right edges. Adhesive residue and minor crease at lower left quadrant. Repaired tear at lower center edge. Minor, marginal age toning on both sections. Good condition overall. $1,800.
“undoubtedly the most important and most accurate published map that had yet appeared for the area of the American West which it included.” — Carl Wheat
Alexander von Humboldt completed his landmark map of New Spain in 1808. This rare and important map was published in the atlas that accompanied his Essai Politique sur le Royaume de Nouvelle Espagne in 1811. Humboldt’s work was among the first to establish the field of geography as a modern science, and it was immediately translated into several European languages. The map of New Spain instantly established itself as the model for maps of the region, which includes all of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and parts of Wyoming, Kansas, Utah, Mexico, and California.
One of the greatest scientists of all time, Humboldt spent five years between 1799 and 1804 exploring Spanish America, a region mostly unknown in Europe in the late 1700s. As a world-famous scientist, Humboldt had royal patronage and had been granted access to the Spanish archives in Mexico that were generally off-limits to foreigners. His privileged status thereby enabled him to consult documents produced by explorations from the time of Oñate (1598-1610) to Escalante (1776). Humboldt’s map of New Spain drew much information from Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco’s map of the Dominguez–Escalante Expedition. With the material he collected, Humboldt created an unprecedented study of Texas and the Southwest. He compiled his information in the two-volume publication Essai Politique and Atlas Géographique, which proved to be a foundational work in the field, covering the area’s physical and economic geography, social structure, and statistical measures. Perhaps most importantly for some of its European audience, the work also presented a significant record picture of New Spain’s mineral wealth. At a time when Mexico was the uncontested world leader in silver production, Humboldt’s publication provided reliable data on the area’s mineral resources and its trading potential, while his map was of special value for its display of information that had never before appeared in print.
Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). Carte Générale du Royaume de la Nouvelle Espagne depuis le Parallele de 16o jusqu’au Parallele de 58o (Latitude Nord) Dressée sur des observations Astronmique et sur l’ensemble des Matériaux qui existoient à Mexico, au commencement de l’année 1800. (General Map of the Realm of New Spain from 16˚ to 58˚ North Latitude drawn on astronomical observations and on materials that existed in Mexico, at the beginning of the year 1804.) (Paris by F. Schoell, 1811) Published in Voyage De Humboldt Et Bonplan. Atlas Géographique Et Physique Du Royaume De La Nouvelle-Espagne. Copperplate engraving, in black and white on two large folio sheets as issued. Together: 40 1/2 x 27 ¼ inches to neatline. Full, original margins. Archivally framed with UV Plexiglas. Burlwood frame: 49 x 35 ¼ x 1 1/2 inches. Excellent condition. $25,000.
This copy is enhanced by an additional 15 Arrowsmith maps (unnumbered), including some of his scarcest and most important:
[51] Acquisitions of Russia
[52] Ionian Islands & Malta
[53] West Coast of Africa
[54] The River Niger
[55] Asia Minor
[56] The Caspian Sea, Khivah
[57] Western Australia
[58] Eastern Australia
[59] South Australia (with notable inset of the City of Adelaide)
[60] Colony of New Zealand
[61] Republic of Texas (small chip at upper left corner)
[62] Jamaica
[63] Leeward Islands
[64] Windward Islands
[65] British Guiana (no tab)
One of the most elegant and detailed atlases of the nineteenth century, and one of the first truly “modern” atlases, this is the fifty sheet 1842 edition (series no. 2) with fifteen maps added including the second state of the rare 1843 Map of Texas and several maps dated 1844. Additional interesting maps include Africa, Asia, Australia, the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Within the atlas is the second state of Arrowsmith’s famous map of Texas, titled Map of Texas compiled from Surveys recorded in the Land Office of Texas and other official Surveys. It shows the Republic of Texas’ border claims to the upper Rio Grande and illustrates the thirty-one counties of Texas, marking towns, counties, railroads, roads, military routes, rivers, creeks, and other physical features. With insets of the Plan of Galveston Bay and the western U.S. and Mexico. This map immediately became the model for maps of the new republic and was copied extensively by other publishers. And while Texas was annexed to the United States in 1845 and the Compromise of 1850 reset the boundaries of Texas to their present configuration, maps of Texas with its Republic boundaries continued to be published, and appeared in the London Atlas as late as 1858.
John Arrowsmith, The London Atlas of Universal Geography, Exhibiting the Physical & Political Divisions of the Various Countries of the World, Constructed from Original Materials. London: J. Arrowsmith, 1842 [-1850]. Second edition. Folio: 22 ¼ x 15 ½ inches. Unpaginated [title page, preface and list of contents, 50 numbered maps, 15 unnumbered maps]. 65 double-page maps hand colored in outline. Recased and rebound using original boards. Three quarter leather binding incorporating original boards and leather title on front cover. Raised bands on spine, leather title label gold embossed, with decorative devices within six compartments. Minor bump on cover, l/l and bump on back board, l/r. Otherwise, excellent condition. New endpapers with original marbled endpaper retained. Decorative Title page with some repairs along right edge. Contents page also has some repairs on right edge and some separation at lower part of sheet. The first two maps do not have tabs, all other maps have tabs on right side. Original outline color throughout. Maps are in fine condition with exceptions noted. $45,000.
Thomas Gamaliel Bradford (1802-1887). Texas, (Boston: Weeks, Jordon & Company, 1838). Published in An Illustrated Atlas, Geological, Statistical and Historical of the United States and Adjacent Countries. Copperplate engraving by G.W. Boynton with full original hand color. 14 3/8 x 11 ¼ inches at neat line. Sheet: 16 1/8 x 11 7/8 inches. Clean and bright. Excellent condition. $7,500.
Aside from showing Texas as a separate state, the maps and text Bradford inserted into his atlases are historically important for clearly demonstrating the demand in the United States for information about Texas during the revolution and the early years of the Republic. — Martin & Martin
Bradford was the first mapmaker to publish an atlas map of Texas as an independent republic, illustrating the early development of Texas in detail and containing the latest information available at the time. While based on the model of Austin’s seminal map of Texas, Bradford’s map included the many new settlements that had appeared following Texas’ independence. The explosive colonization of the new Republic along with its military campaigns against Mexico and the Comanche had created “an almost exponential increase in the knowledge of the interior of Texas” (Martin & Martin). This accelerated reconnaissance provided the updated information Bradford used to distinguish his maps of Texas, with the latest information on towns, forts, settlements, river systems, and trails.
Showing a strong resemblance in shape to the John Arrowsmith Map of Texas (1841-43), the map offered here illustrates the important region of Texas during its transitional time between the Republic period and statehood. This wonderfully detailed and charming hand-colored map displays the full extent of Texas’ claims all the way north along the Rio Grande into what is present day Colorado which was included within the state until the Compromise of 1850.
The progress of settlement in the state during the mid-nineteenth century is evident in this map with the appearance of roads and towns concentrated in the east. County names are delineated creating a strong graphic representation of the densely developed eastern part of the state contrasted with the more expansive counties to the west. Most notable is Mitchell’s depiction of the City of Dallas, this being its first ever appearance on a Texas map.
Samuel Augustus Mitchell (1792–1868). Map of the State of Texas, (Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co., 1846). Published in Mitchell’s School Atlas: Comprising the Maps, Etc., Engraved to Illustrate Mitchell’s School and Family Geography.” Lithograph with original period hand color. 10 3/8 x 8 inches at neatline; sheet: 11 1/2 x 9 1/8 inches. Slight toning in margins; light soiling along right, and lower right margins. Very good condition overall. $950.
John Tallis (1817-1876). Mexico, California and Texas, (The London Printing and Publishing Co., ca. 1851). Published in The Illustrated Atlas, and Modern History of the World, Geographical, Political, Commercial, and Statistical. Engraving by J. Rapkin with fine original outline hand color. 9 3/4 x 13 inches to decorative border. Sheet: 10 7/8 x 14 31/4 inches. Slight age toning in margins. Excellent condition. $900.
Offered here is exceptional mapping of the American Southwest and Mexico by John Tallis, featuring Texas in its Republic configuration with its Northwestern corner reaching into present day Wyoming. Bordering Texas to the west is a large region named New or Upper California, even though the state of the California was already in existence. A brightly colored area in yellow represents the newly discovered Gold Region of California, and follows the path of the R. Sacramento and the Rio San Joaquin. Depicted to the south is the Mexican border, which is shown in pre-Gadsden delineation, along with the notation of numerous Native American Tribes that inhabited the Southwest region. Mexico is shown with its counties outlined.
Highly detailed inset illustrations appear throughout the map depicting the process of gold washing, the famous Mayan Ruins at Uxmal, Yucatan, along with views of Mexican rural life.
George Woolworth and C. B. Colton. Colton’s “New Medium” Map of the State of Texas from the Latest & Most Authentic Sources. 19 1/2 x 26 inches (sight). New York: C. W. & C. B. Colton & Co., 1873. Hand-colored engraved folding pocket map with ornate floral border. With four inset maps of Matagorda Bay, the Northern Panhandle, Sabine Lake and Galveston Bay at lower left. Copyright imprint records it was “Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1872 by G. W & C. B. Colton & Co. in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.” Pocket book has embossed dark boards [5.3/4” x 3 5/8”] with gilt lettering. Matted and framed with an overall size of 30 3/4 x 42 ¼ x 1 1/4 inches. Map neatly detached from boards. Light scattered soiling, foxing and toning. Pocket book boards are lightly rubbed at corners. $7,500.
Offered here is a rare and beautiful pocket map of the state of Texas issued by the famed Colton publishing company. This single sheet folding map is much larger than the standard atlas map, allowing for a notable visual impression. The map illustrates, in detail, Texas’ rapid expansion in the decade following the Civil War. Counties are now being divided west of the 23rd meridian, with some in the north being shown without a single town, whereas west Texas is delineated into the five large counties of Tom Green, Crockett, Pecos, El Paso, and Presidio.
One of the most important American commercial mapmakers of the nineteenth century, Colton and Co. specialized in supplying maps and atlases to the eager market of settlers, travelers, land speculators, railroad men, and government officials as the nation made its drive west.
Overall, this is an excellent example of Colton’s pocket maps and a worthwhile addition to any collection of Texana.
Circular Cartouche: THE FRANKLIN/ TERRESTRIAL/ GLOBE/ 10 INCHES IN DIAMETER CONTAINING ALL THE/ Geographical Divisions/ & POLITICAL BOUNDARIES/ to present date/ carefully compiled from the best Authorities/ MOORE & NIMS/ TROY N.Y.
This terrestrial globe is surmounted by an arrow pointer and printed hour circle, within a calibrated full brass meridian. The globe, within a circular horizon with engraved paper zodiac, is raised on a hard-wood stand with four turned legs ending in spade feet, joined by a turned X-form stretcher. Oceans and geographic entities are cream colored, with some light green and dark green outlining. There is also an oval analemma colored pink (faded) and green.
North and South Dakota are shown prior to statehood (1891) with the area east of the Missouri River labeled “Dacota” and the rest included with present-day Nebraska. Oklahoma is called “Indian Territory.” The recently installed Atlantic Cable between Britain and the U.S. is shown as “Submarine Telegraph Cable.” A dotted line indicates routes taken by the U.S. Navy expedition to explore the Pacific Ocean led by Lt. Charles Wilkes from 1838 to 1842 and a dotted line labeled “New York to Aspinwall” shows the Pacific Mail route from New York to San Francisco via Panama established by William Aspinwall. Various captions each with a synopsis of an event of then recent history are printed in the oceans. Republic of Liberia noted, the Congo River still incomplete. Suez Canal not yet built. Cook’s routes of exploration are noted.
The Franklin Terrestrial Globe. Troy, NY: H.B. Nims, ca. 1867/1868. 10-inch globe, hand-colored with a brass meridian circle, hand-colored engraved horizon circle, supported by four-legged turned fruitwood stands, approximately 15 inches high; 14 inches diameter overall. Old varnish, some stains and rubbing. Generally, excellent condition for this rare globe. $10,000.
This map is one of the earliest issued atlas maps of Indian Territory. The map is colored by tribes and shows a number of early important place names, railroads, forts, Indian Villages and other points of interest. Several early stage roads are also shown, but not named. Indian Territory became the area to which Native Americans were relocated under the Indian Removal policy which was formalized by an Act of Congress in 1830. The primary tribes relocated were the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminoles, during an exodus referred to as the Trail of Tears. Later, the Delaware, Cheyenne and Apache were also forced to this region. The tribes set up a number of modern towns, including Tulsa. During the American Civil War, Indian Territory fought on the side of the Confederacy and was the last area to surrender, under the command of General Stand Watie, on June 23, 1865.
O.W. Gray. Atlas Map of Indian Territory. (Philadelphia, 1873). Published in Gray’s Atlas of The United States with General Maps of The World. Lithograph with original bright hand color. 11 5/8 x 14 ¾ inches to neatline. Sheet: 14 ¼ x 16 5/8 inches. Toning typical for this style of map; minor chip at upper right corner; minor spots of soiling at lower left. Very good. $495.
H. R. Page. Map of Montana, (Chicago: H. R. Page & Company, 1889). Double-page lithograph with original full hand color. 16 1/8 x 24 3/8 inches at neatline. Sheet: 17 3/4 x 29 ¼ inches. Verso: Guide to Montana, Explanation text. Strong impression; bright color; even toning; staining at binding tab, lower center. Very good condition. $2,000.
A striking map of Montana, hand colored by county, displaying cities, towns, rivers, early roads and forts. Indian Reservations dominate large areas of the state. Page’s first map of Montana appeared just two years before the Territory became a State in 1889. Montana Territory was created in 1864 by Abraham Lincoln, who sought to create new free territories during the Civil War. The territory was originally part of the Louisiana Purchase, but U.S. settlement was not significant until the 1850s when gold was discovered. Page’s map shows several Indian reservations encompassing large areas of Montana, including the Gros Ventre, Piegan, Blood, Blackfeet & River Crow. The Sioux, Shoshone, Arapaho, and Kutenai had also inhabited the area.
This rare antique map of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, was separately issued in Chicago in 1885 by the Poole Brothers Map Engravers, known for their railroad maps. A visually impressive railroad map of the West, it shows rail routes from Kansas to California, and many points in Mexico. In addition to the ATS & F, the map covers the lines of the following major western railroads: Central Pacific RR, Southern Pacific RR, Atlantic Pacific RR, Mexican Central RR, and the Sonora Railway. Some of the more interesting towns and places appearing on the map include Telluride, Colorado, Ft. Davis, Texas, the Mojave Sink, Silver City, New Mexico, the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc. Forts, mining boom towns and other points of interest are also depicted in this decorative map.
Poole Brothers (fl. ca. 1880-1968). Map of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe R.R. Leased Lines and Connections, (Chicago: 1885). Lithograph. 15 5/8 x 33 ¼ inches to neatline. Sheet: 16 1/4 x 33 ¾ inches. Very strong impression; issued folding. Two spots of foxing, minor fold line tears and a slight misfold at upper right corner. Overall, very good condition. $2,000.
G. W. & C. B. Colton. Map Showing the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad System with its Connections. April 1st 1886. (New York: G. W. & C. B. Colton & Co., 1886). Lithograph with original outline color. Strong impression. 21 1/4 x 32 ¾ inches at neatline. Sheet: 21 7/8 x 33 7/8 inches. Misfold at upper left corner; right edge margin in uneven. Overall, very good condition. $1,500.
Colton’s large and detailed railroad map illustrates the southwestern states from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. Railroad lines are traced in three colors to denote ownership, and connections. The lines of the AT&SF are in Red with connecting lines of other railroad companies in blue and yellow. In 1886, the AT&SF had not expanded far beyond Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico, but over the coming decades, it would become one of the major lines in the Western United States. A table listing miles of lines in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and Mexico is included. The map shows relief by hachures, drainage, state boundaries, cities and towns, Indian reservations, and military posts. The map is quite attractive and well executed in the manner for which the Colton Company was known.
This was Rand McNally’s highwater mark for its 19th century atlases with no obvious changes from the 1896 edition. Hills and valleys are depicted by hachures. Railroads, townships, reservations, confirmed and unconfirmed land grants, mining districts, etc. are included in this atlas map of New Mexico.
Rand McNally & Co., New Mexico. Rand, McNally & Co.’s Business Atlas Map of New Mexico. Copyright, 1888, by Rand, McNally & Co. (Chicago, 1897). Published in: Rand, McNally & Co.’s indexed atlas of the world containing large scale maps of every country and civil division upon the face of the globe, together with historical, descriptive, and statistical matter relative to each … Accompanied by a new and original compilation forming a ready reference index … Engraved, printed and published by Rand, McNally & Company, Chicago and New York, U.S.A., 1897. Verso: Copyright, 1894, by Rand, McNally & Co., Chicago … (complete in two volumes). 18 7/8 x 13 inches at neatline. Small soil mark at lower left, chipped corners at upper left and lower right. Otherwise, excellent condition. $400.
Coy Avon Seward created more than thirty paintings of various Kansas and New Mexico subjects, but the main body of his work is comprised of the approximately 120 prints he produced, primarily lithographs. He experimented with lithographs as early as 1922, and became a master of the medium. An inveterate draughtsman, Seward liked lithography. As early as 1923, his prints were receiving national and international recognition. He would eventually take sketching trips to New Mexico to gather material for his prints, as in A Penitente Shrine.
Coy Avon Seward (1884 –1939). A Penitente Shrine, 1934. Lithograph on fine J Whatman paper (watermarked). Edition between 50 and 75. Plate mark: 9 x 11 ½ inches; sheet: 13 ¼ x 16 inches. Archival framing: 18 5/8 x 22 5/8 x 1 ¼ inches. Titled l/l, A Penitente Shrine; signed and dated l/r, CA Seward ’34. Signed and dated in stone l/l. Literature: Kate Meyer, C.A. Seward: Artist and Draftsman, 2011, Plate L77. $3,200.
Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952). The North American Indian: Portfolio Four, [Supplementing Volume Four: The Apsaroke, or Crows, The Hidatsa] (1908). First edition. Folio quarter-leather portfolio with “4” in gilt, lower left, front cover. Minor scuffing to cover. On Japon vellum, rare on this paper. Complete Portfolio Four, 36 Photogravures by John Andre & Son, each page approximately 18 x 22 inches, each image approximately 12 ½ x 15 ½ inches. A beautifully printed example of the Apsaroke [Arapaho] portfolio, one of the three most desirable portfolios of The North American Indian in mint condition. $130,000.
These hand-colored lithographs after paintings by Charles Bird King are among the only portraits remaining of the prominent Native American leaders of the nineteenth century.
At great risk to himself, Tukosee Mathla saved a number of white men from being massacred after they had been taken prisoner in a raid near the Georgia border. When he supported the federal government’s plan of moving the Seminole across the Mississippi, Osceola had him killed, as McKenney wrote, “by sending sixteen bullets through him.”
Tukosee Mathla was a member of the Seminole delegation that came to Washington in 1826 to see McKenney, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs and a defender of Native American interests. McKenney commissioned artist Charles Bird King to paint portraits of the delegates in their choice of dress. Most of King’s original paintings subsequently burned in a fire at the Smithsonian. The lithographs in McKenney and Hall’s publication are the only extant record of the likenesses of many of the prominent Native American leaders of the nineteenth century.
Col. Thomas L. McKenney (1785-1859) & James Hall (1793-1868). Tuko-See-Mathla, A Seminole Chief. From, The History of the Indian Tribes of North America with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the Department of War, at Washington. Published by Daniel Rice & James G. Clark, Philadelphia, ca. 1836–1843. Lithograph with full original hand color, after Charles Bird King. Sheet: 20 1/4 x 14 1/8.” Old glue stains along left margin; chip at lower right corner; crease in paper at upper left. Very good condition. $3,500.
Thomas Lorraine McKenney was Superintendent of Indian Affairs under presidents Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams and Jackson, with a keen interest in the customs and beliefs of the Indians he came to know so well. James Hall was a frontier lawyer, judge, newspaper editor, and author who helped McKenney put together the portfolios. Together they turned the portraits into a coherent representation of Indian life, lore and costume. Published as a three-volume set between 1836 and 1842, the hand-colored lithographs after paintings by Charles Bird King are among the only portraits remaining of this early generation of Indian warriors, statesmen, medicine men, and even commoners. The original paintings, which were on display in the Smithsonian Institution, were destroyed by fire in 1865.
Col. Thomas L. McKenney (1785-1859) & James Hall (1793-1868). Tah-Col-O-Quoit. From, The History of the Indian Tribes of North America with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the Department of War, at Washington. Published by Daniel Rice & James G. Clark, Philadelphia, ca. 1836–1843. Lithograph with full original hand color, after Charles Bird King. Sheet: 19 7/8 x 14 1/2.” 1 fox mark at upper center; binding stitch holes along left edge. Excellent condition. $4,500.
Chonmanicase, more commonly known as Shaumonekusse, which means Prairie Wolf, was among the first delegation of Plains Indians to visit Washington in 1821. He was outshone by his wife, Hayne Hudjihini, a beautiful eighteen-year-old, who attracted the attention of President Monroe and his cabinet. Nevertheless, Chonmanicase inspired respect through his dignity and eagerness to learn English. Soon after their return to their native land, Hayne Hudjihini died of the measles. Chonmanicase was devastated and refused to eat. He survived however and lived another twenty years or so.
Col. Thomas L. McKenney (1785-1859) & James Hall (1793-1868). Chon-Mon-I-Case [Shaumonekusse, or L’Ietan], An Otto Half Chief. From, The History of the Indian Tribes of North America with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the Department of War, at Washington. Published by E.C. Biddle, Philadelphia, ca. 1836–1843. Lithograph with bright original hand color, after paintings by Charles Bird King. Drawn, printed and colored at J.T. Bowen’s Lithographic Establishment, Philadelphia. Sheet: 19 7/8 x 14 3/8.” Very minor soiling at sheet edges; binding stitch holes along right edge, old glue stains on binding edge. Very good condition. $2,500.
Sauk and Fox delegations of chiefs and braves entered the room in the War Department one warm October day in 1837. They were followed by several Sioux chiefs and orators. The Fox went to the left, the Sioux to the right. They sat on the floor and glared across the room at each other as the nervous secretary of war, Indian commissioners, and interpreters quickly prepared a peace pipe. One Fox warrior stood out among all the others. He was tall with streaks of paint like black fingers stretching upward from below his mouth to his cheeks. But what made him seem taller and more terrifying was his crown of buffalo hide and horns.
The Indian agents, sensitive to the undercurrents always present at any Indian council, finally discovered why the conference had reached an impasse. The Fox brave, named Kishkekosh, had single handedly invaded a large Sioux village, scalped several braves, then tore the buffalo crown from the head of a popular chief. The Indian commissioners knew Kishkekosh’s arrogant display of contempt could result in a confrontation between the two nations at any moment. Gifts, promises, and threats persuaded Kishkekosh to leave behind his trophy, and both tribes finally signed an uneasy peace treaty.
Col. Thomas L. McKenney (1785-1859) & James Hall (1793-1868). Kish-Ke-Kosh, A Fox Brave. From, The History of the Indian Tribes of North America with Biographical Sketches and Anecdotes of the Principal Chiefs. Embellished with One Hundred and Twenty Portraits from the Indian Gallery in the Department of War, at Washington. Published by F.W. Greenough, Philadelphia, ca. 1836–1843. Lithograph with bright original hand color, after paintings by Charles Bird King. Drawn, printed and colored at J.T. Bowen’s Lithographic Establishment, Philadelphia. Sheet: 19 1/4 x 14 1/8.” Very minor soiling at sheet edges; binding stitch holes along left edge. Excellent condition. $2,750.
Until the early 1930s, Howard Cook (1901–1980) had focused primarily on architectural studies and landscapes as the subjects of his powerful prints. A Guggenheim Fellowship to Mexico in 1932 provided a decisive turning point in his career, initiating greater interest in the human figure, as well as an expansion of his technical knowledge. While there, Cook fell under the pervasive spell of the Mexican muralists. This was especially true of the work of Rivera, whose skill at combining large groupings of figures and organic plant forms into a balanced, decorative schema impressed the American printmaker. Cook’s work, however, took on a more sublime, individual tone since he was not as interested in the political emphasis of the Mexican painters as he was in their aesthetic and stylistic experiments.
Howard Cook (1901–1980). Cocoanut Grove (Cocoanut Palms), 1932. Etching on paper. Edition of 30. Signed in pencil, lower right: Howard Cook imp. 1932. Plate: 7 7/8 x 10 7/8 inches with full margins. Sheet: 9 5/8 x 13 inches. Excellent condition. Archivally matted. $12,000.
Howard Cook (1901–1980). Fiesta, Taxco, 1933. Etching from an edition of 50 on fine, tissue thin paper. 30 printed. 10 5/8 x 14 3/8 inches at plate mark; 18 ¾ x 22 x ½ inches framed. Signed in pencil l/r, Howard Cook imp. 1933. Notation of planned edition size at l/l, 50 (in a circle). Strong impression. Superb condition for this extremely rare print. $22,000.
In his lifetime, Howard Cook developed a national reputation as a painter and muralist. Today, however, he is better known as one of America’s premier printmakers. His printmaking spanned five decades, with his work of the 1920s and 1930s considered to be his finest. The skillful execution and lively mood of this Taxco scene make for a fine summation of Cook’s printmaking achievements during a sojourn in Mexico—a time when he produced many of his strongest images.
The subject matter of Fiesta, Taxco is perhaps related to that of his first fresco mural in the lobby of the Hotel Taxqueño. Here, merrymakers, vendors, and animals fairly overflow a densely packed scene of calm conviviality. Cook achieves a sensitive depiction of local customs with a masterful manipulation of formal elements. Fiesta is one of Cook’s figural masterpieces—an exquisite work by the great master of American Modernist printmaking. In 1942, this print won the Pennell Award at the Annual Exhibition of the Society of American Etchers.
Aiden Lassell Ripley was a student and close friend of Frank W. Benson, and he shared Benson’s talent for depicting his love of outdoor sports, especially shooting, hunting and fishing.
Grouse and Quail were Ripley’s preferred subjects, and he depicts them with a sensitivity evocative of Benson’s prints of ducks. An avid conservationist, Ripley’s game portraits emphasize the natural habitat of his subjects.
In the mid-1930s, Ripley settled in Lexington, Massachusetts, and produced the majority of his drypoint etchings of the local eastern Massachusetts hunting grounds. He completed a mural of Paul Revere’s Ride in the Lexington post office in 1939, and won several awards for his watercolors and paintings.
Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969), Flight Woodcock, ca. 1940. Etching, drypoint & aquatint, ed. 10/10. Titled l/l: Flight Woodcock ©; signed l/r: A. Lassell Ripley. Plate: 8 7/8 x 11 7/8 inches; archival framing: 16 ½ x 19 ¼ inches. Very good condition. $2,500.
Aiden Lassell Ripley (1896-1969), Grouse on Pine Bough, ca. 1940. Etching, drypoint & aquatint, ed. 10/10. Titled l/l: Grouse on Pine Bough; signed l/r: A. Lassell Ripley. Plate: 8 7/8 x 11 7/8 inches; archival framing: 16 ½ x 19 ¼ inches. Very good condition. $2,500.
This charming New Mexico landscape portrays village life in northern New Mexico. The region’s unique adobe structures framed by golden cottonwood trees, and chamisa in full bloom is typical of late summer, early fall in the land of enchantment. It is a peaceful scene inhabited by a woman, two young girls, and a handful of chickens.
A Taos, New Mexico artist, Charles Reynolds was born in Kiowa, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in 1902. He attended both Oklahoma and Tulsa University. Reynolds began painting in 1925, and except for a short period at the Chicago Art Institute and a brief study with John Elliot Jenkins, he is self-taught. He exhibited extensively in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, including one-man shows at the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa and the Museum of Fine Art in Santa Fe.
Charles Henry Reynolds (1902–1963). New Mexico Landscape, 1959. 7 color serigraph. Platemark: 14 1/4 x 19 ¼ inches; archival framing: 23 ¼ x 27 ¾ x ¾ inches. Signed within image at lower right. Very good condition. $1,800.
Gene Kloss (1903–1996). January Morning, 1973. Etching. Image: 7 ½ x 9 inches. Full margins. Inscribed & titled l/l: Artist’s Proof January Morning; Signed l/r: Gene Kloss NA. Archival framing with Optium Plexiglas, 15 x 16 x 1 inches. A very good, well-inked impression of this scarce print. $4,000.
January Morning is a prime example of Gene Kloss’ intimacy with Southwestern subject matter; depicting a winter morning in a village near her home in Taos, New Mexico. The process of printmaking allowed Kloss to capture the essence of the moment that compelled her, and to express the drama she saw in her subjects. As a means to illustrate pure white to dark values, etching and its forms became her medium of choice.
Kloss was a master of design, working primarily from her mental impressions rather than from sketches or photographs. She described what guided her art as follows: “I want the finished print to enable the viewer to see the design, the subject matter from across the room, at arm’s length or under a magnifying glass—also upside-down for satisfactory abstract design.”
