Original & beautiful first edition example, 19th Century hand colored steel plate engraving atlas map by J. H. Colton on heavy paper. "Canada East or Lower Canada" with an inset of Montreal shows early railroads, Publisher: J.H. Colton & Co. New York. 1856 ( Dated 1855 ). Original Antique Map- "Canada East or Lower Canada" with an inset of Montreal shows early railroads. Approx 15" x 17". Joseph Hutchins Colton (July 5, 1800 – July 29, 1893), known professionally as J.H. Colton, founded an American map making company which was an international leader in the map publishing industry between 1831 and 1890. Colton established his firm in New York in 1931. For ten years, Colton licensed the use of maps from established cartographers, such as David H Burr. Colton also employed some of the preeminent engravers of the time, including Burr, Samuel Stiles, John Disturnell and D. Griffing Johnson. Colton went on to create railroad maps, immigrant guides, folding maps, wall maps, and atlases. J.H. Colton Company maps were printed using engraved steel plates, which produced higher quality prints than maps made with less costly wax engravings. They were often individually had watercolored and were recognized for their distinctive borders. In 1857. Colton was given a $25,000 commission by the government of Bolivia to produce 2,500 maps of the country. Colton completed the contract, but was not paid by the Bolivians, where they were in the throws of a revolution. Colton sued the Bolivian government and and was eventually awarded $100,000 in compensation and