The maps from The Illustrated Atlas were first published in serial form to a target audience that led insular lives due to the expense and hardship of travel. All that changed as the progress of the nineteenth century brought swift and dramatic changes in public awareness of far away places. Tallis' maps no doubt played an important role in this dramatic awakening. These maps not only provided up-to-date geographical knowledge, but also used vignette views within the map's design to show the native people and their occupations, cities and points of interest. The maps hark back to a cartographic tradition from the Dutch mapmakers of the seventeenth century with finely engraved decorative borders. The maps were drawn and engraved by John Rapkin with views drawn and engraved by a number of prominent artists. The maps were issued as a complete volume from 1851 until about 1865. Some of the maps were also published in other history books published by Tallis including British Colonies and, without the vignettes, in geographical dictionaries and encyclopedias until about 1880.

A. Islands in the Atlantic. Beautiful steel engraved map consisting of four maps with six vignette views. Maps include the island groups of Cape Verde, Canary, Azores, Bermuda and Madeira. Vignettes include Fayal, Villa Franca, and Pico (Azores), Chapel in the Rock St. Vicente (Cape Verde), Teneriffe (Canary Islands), and Funchal (Madeira). All surrounded in a delicately engraved border. Map drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin, illustrations drawn and engraved by H. Winkles.

B. Islands in the Indian Ocean. Beautifully engraved map featuring vignette views with delicate decorative borders and titling. The main map is centered on the Indian Ocean and extends from Africa and Madagascar to Sumatra including the southern part of India. Names numerous small islands. Uncolored vignettes include "Point de Galle - Ceylon," "Port Louis - Mauritius," "North Beach - Prince of Wales Island," and "Falls of the River Roche - Isle of Bourbon." Additional map of the island of Mauritius is enclosed within a large inset and is very detailed.

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Condition: A

Original outline color with faint soiling along the edges of the sheet, else fine.