**Originally Listed At $550**

Walter Watson (American, 1858-1936). "Railway and Highway Map of the Famous Berkshire Hills Region Showing Also Villages and Points of Interest From Official Records. And Other Information" Published by Berkshire Life Insurance Company of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, 1892. Finely executed by civil engineer Walter Watson, this sizeable map is a second edition with corrections to the original 1883 version. It features a detailed color map of Berkshire County, Massachusetts in hues of orange, red, grey, and black at its center surrounded by text related to Berkshire Life Insurance Company on the left and descriptive passages excerpted from "Taghconic" by F.E.A. Smith to encourage tourists to travel throughout the picturesque countryside. The text is accompanied by two lovely pictorial vignettes: one of the office of Berkshire Life Insurance Company and the other presenting a gorgeous view of the Berkshire Hills. Mountains and hills are identified throughout with height notes and elevation rendered by hachures. Size: 24" W x 31.5" H (61 cm x 80 cm)

Here is a brief excerpt from "Taghconic" by F.E.A. Smith to give you an idea of how admirers waxed poetic about the Berkshires, "It's beauty is world renowned; for the pens of Bryant and Catherine Sedgwick early made it their favorite theme, and in later years Holmes and Longfellow, Hawthorne, Melville, and Thoreau have invested it with their genius. Within its limits lie Monument Mountain, Icy Glen, the Stockbridge Bowl, Green River, October Mountain, and a thousand other scenes of storied or unsung loveliness."

Provenance: Jon and Mary Williams private art collection, Denver, Colorado, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

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Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#166586

"Compliments of Stockbridge House / Stockbridge, Mass," inscribed on verso with some additional indecipherable writing. A few small tears to peripheries and some light fold lines. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice remaining details.