Heading: (Travel Album - United States, Mexico & Cuba)
Author:
Title: Album of approximately 150 or more engravings, lithographs and maps gathered during a tour by land and water of Cuba, Mexico and the United States
Place Published: Various places
Publisher:
Date Published: c.1850
Description:

Includes approximately 55 large lithographed views (8 hand-colored), 14 maps (some colored), and scores of smaller lithographs and engravings, all mounted to brown paper leaves. Neat captions inked below most of the larger images, and many of the smaller ones. Album measures 36.5x56 cm (14¼x22"), full brown diced morocco tooled in gilt, lettered in gilt on front cover "America 1850."

A truly marvelous compilation of views apparently gathered on a tour of the Americas, from books, atlases and other sources, with many quite scarce images. After a brief stop in Bermuda, the traveler spend some time in Cuba, with black and white and duotone lithographs of Havana and its harbor, the fine boulevards, laborers and lower class individuals, and more. Then on to Mexico, with a striking hand-colored lithographs of the Plaza at Vera Cruz and of Chapultepec, views of the cathedral at Mexico City, well-to-do men and women, indigenous "Indias de la Sierra," tortilla making, and other captivating views. Then on to the United States, beginning in New York, with a splendid depiction of New York viewed from Brooklyn Heights, a colored view of Castle-Garden, the Post Office, Merchant's Exchange, City Hall, and other sights. Leaving New York, we are taken to Philadelphia, with Girard College, the Fairmount Water Works, etc., then on to Baltimore and Washington, with a striking panoramic view of the latter city, the Capitol Building, the chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives, small views of various monuments, and more. The Midwest is the next destination, with smallish views of Cincinnati and Chicago, then several nice views of the falls at Niagara. Finally, a full-page (35.5x56.5 cm) lithograph of the United States Mail Steam-Ship Pacific of the Collins Line, plying the waves. An important compilation of lithographs and views of the Americas at mid-century, nearly impossible to replicate.

A little scuffing to volume extremities; prints generally fine or nearly so.