Heading:
Author: Colton, Joseph Hutchins
Title: Colton's Map of the United States of America, the British Provinces, Mexico and the West Indies, Showing the Country from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean
Place Published: New York
Publisher:Published by J.H. Colton
Date Published: 1854
Description:

Engraved map, hand-colored. 121x137 cm (47½x43¾") plus decorative border, mounted on linen backing, sectioned for folding with marbled endboards.

Large, beautifully colored map of the United States, settled parts of Canada, Mexico, etc., with insets of Central America; Southeastern Part of the West Indies; and Newfoundland. The Southwest with pre-Gadsden border, New Mexico extends to California as does Utah, Kansas is shown but not named, the Oklahoma Panhandle is colored differently than the Indian Territory which it would join, plus other anomalies that would be sorted out in the coming decades. The map is covered with small vignettes, including beaver, deer and other wildlife; native Americans; settlers in covered wagons; sailing ships; etc. Wheat remarks that the map, "so far as the West is concerned, is an atavistic though beautifully done performance. Many towns are listed in the Gold Region, and several in Utah... This map is one of the best and most up to date that appeared during this period." Of note, the present example is dissected into 24 panels, and when folded measures 34.5x26 cm (13½x10¼"); the most recent example we offered previous to this, the Warren Heckrotte copy in 2016, was in 84 panels. References: Wheat Transmississippi 776, p 161, for first issue 1853; Wheat Gold Region 255; Martin & Martin, Maps of Texas and the Southwest, #43.

Mild toning and some faint dust soiling, a few short marginal splits at the folds; very good or better condition, a lovely map.