The beginning of the nineteenth century saw a period of rapid market growth and innovation in the map publishing world. Increased literacy and public interest in new frontiers and colonies overwhelmed the market because it was oriented toward the small, affluent market of the previous century. With the intent to fill this void, The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK) was founded in 1828 in London, by Lord Brougham and a group of men dedicated to the education of the aspiring working class and the Utilitarian ideal of 'Knowledge is Power.' The society produced an array of education materials, but the series of maps was one of their most successful ventures. A number of engravers and printers were used to produce the maps, which eventually exceed 200 sheets, and continued to be published after the Society as a whole ceased to function.

Nice pair of steel engraved maps filled with the detail typical of the SDUK's cartographic works. In the Western Hemisphere, the boundary between the United States and Canada is based on British claims in the Northwest, reflecting the Oregon boundary dispute. The present-day Southwestern states are controlled by Mexico. In the Eastern Hemisphere, Africa and Australia show practically no detail in their interiors. Some of the islands around Antarctica are beginning to appear in the form of vague coastlines. Engraved by J. & C. Walker.

References:

Condition: B+

Both sheets feature contemporary outline color with light toning that is mostly confined to the margins. The Western Hemisphere sheet has light foxing, and there are a few small spots in the Eastern Hemisphere map.