"Colton's Atlas of the World Illustrating Physical and Political Geography By George W. Colton Volume I [and] II", Colton, Joseph Hutchins

This complete two volume folio atlas contain two engraved frontispieces and 103 maps, each with Colton's decorative strapwork border. Original binding in embossed, gilt cloth covers, quarter calf on spine gilt banding and titles. Both volumes with frontispiece, title pages, list of maps, text and tables.

Volume I contains maps concentrating on the Western Hemisphere. 44 sheets relate to the United States, displaying 64 maps, with numerous sought after single-page state maps - many with city insets. Many of the maps contain fascinating and early western borders. The terrific U.S. map features Kanzas. The great map of Texas features early county configurations. The early Minnesota shows its border to the Missouri River. The most desirable Nebraska and Kanzas map depicts Nebraska stretching from Kansas to the Canadian border and bounded on the side by Washington and Oregon at the Continental Divide and Minnesota on the east. Also present in this volume are the maps of the Territories of New Mexico and Utah, the California map with the large inset of San Francisco, and the Territories of Washington and Oregon with their eastern boundaries on the Continental Divide and county development limited to the coastal areas. City plans included in Volume I are Montreal, Boston, New York (double-page), Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Norfolk/Portsmouth, Savannah/ Charleston, Louisville/New Orleans, Pittsburgh/Cincinnati, St. Louis/Chicago, Panama, Havana, Lima, Rio Janeiro, Pernambuco. The frontispiece is the desirable image of Native American Indians overlooking a valley. The NYC map has a clean centerfold split at lower half and Indiana has some marginal soiling.

Volume II completes the world with 42 maps of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania. City plans in Volume II include London and Paris (both black and white), Amsterdam, Brussels, Hamburg, Bremen, Vienna, and Hong-Kong. It contains the frontispiece showing four women studying a large globe turned to the Eastern Hemisphere and a terrific double-page comparative chart illustrating the heights of mountains and lengths of rivers.

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Condition: A

Maps are very good to fine unless noted in the text above. Covers are rubbed and bumped, front cover of Volume II nearly loose. Binding will benefit from professional attention. Free end papers a little soiled.