Catalog Archive
Auction 132, Lot 153

"A Map of the United States Including Every County Enumerated in the Last Census & Since Formed with Population, of the several States, Railroads Canals &c.", Tanner, Henry Schenck

Subject: Eastern United States, Texas

Period: 1844 (dated)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:
60.5 x 45.8 inches
153.7 x 116.3 cm
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This rare and ambitious map is one of the best large-scale maps of the first half of the 19th century. On a scale of 1:2,000,000, it covers the settled parts of the United States and shows part of the Independent Republic of Texas. A comment on the U.S. Canadian boundary near the Lake of the Woods mentions the Treaty of 1818 and the significance of the 49th Parallel. In the Northeast the border settlement by the Convention of 1842 is shown as is the earlier 1831 boundary. The map provides good detail along the Missouri River, naming Fort Mandan and numerous Indian tribes, with their populations noted. Routes and portages between lakes, the American Fur Co., and numerous trading posts are located. The map is bounded at the sides with 14 large city plans and a chart of the South Part of Florida. The plans include the cities of New Orleans, Charleston, Cincinnati, two of New York City, Boston, Albany, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington D.C., which contains a floor plan of the Capitol building. Above the main map is a large inset Oregon and Mandan Districts that contains a small inset of the Outlet of Oregon River (Columbia River) that shows Astoria. The legend describes Important Towns, Small Towns & Villages, Canals, Rail Roads (proposed and completed), and McAdamized Roads. The National Road was fully McAdamized to Terra Haute, Indiana. Distances on all major roads are shown between towns.

At lower right is a large "Table of Statistics of the United States" with extensive information for each state plus the Florida District, and Iowa & Wisconsin Districts. The table gives legislative and election dates, area in square miles, and census figures for each census since 1790; the 1840 population is 17,100,572. The pictorial cartouche, engraved by J.W. Steel, features a pastoral scene with two deer in the foreground. The map was engraved by Tanner with assistance from E.B. Dawson, W. Allen, and J. Knight. The latitude is measured from Washington, DC, making this a truly American map. Segmented into 32 panels and mounted on linen that folds into self backs with marbled paper (8" x 12"). This is a late issue of Tanner's great map, which began publication in 1829 with the title simply United States of America. Major revisions were made in 1843, including the addition of part of Texas, which previously had contained canal profiles All issues are rare.

References: Ristow p.198; Howes T28; Phillips (M) p. 885.

Condition: B+

Original outline color with some minor toning. There are a few minor splits of the linen folds, else very good especially for such a large, linen-backed map.

Estimate: $13,000 - $18,000

Sold for: $9,500

Closed on 6/2/2010

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