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.

This lot of three steel engraved maps covers the area from the Adriatic to the Caspian Sea. Size varies slightly.

A. Turkey in Asia. Decorative map that features three engraved vignettes: a large view of Jerusalem, "The Castles of Europe and Asia," and four figures with a spire behind them. The map covers the region of present-day Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Iraq, with portions of Egypt and Iran as well. Surrounded by a delicately engraved and decorative border. The vignettes were drawn by H. Warren and engraved by J.B. Allen; the map was drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin.

B. Asia Minor. This fine map is centered on Turkey, extending from the Aegean Sea across Turkey to beyond Trabzon on the coast of the Black Sea. Cyprus and Rhodes appear with several cities identified in both. The very beautifully rendered vignettes of Mount Olympus, Rhodes, and two Turks were drawn by H. Warren and engraved by J.H. Kernot. The map was drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin. Surrounded by a decorative border done in a maze-like pattern.

C. Turkey in Europe. Handsome map that focuses on the Balkans north of Greece and features three vignettes drawn by H. Warren and engraved by J. Rogers: a large view of Constantinople from the sea, the Ottoman Albanian leader Ali Pasha, and a Greek caloyer (a monk of the Greek Orthodox Church). Bosnia, Croatia, Herzegovina, Monte Negro, Servia, Macedonia, Albania, Moldavia, Walachia, Bulgaria, and Rumilia are named. An inset details the island of Candia. Surrounded by a delicately engraved and decorative border. Drawn and engraved by J. Rapkin.

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Condition: B+

All have original outline color, minor soiling, and light toning along sheet edges.