Catalog Archive
Auction 145, Lot 846

"Colton's Illustrated Cabinet Atlas and Descriptive Geography", Colton, Joseph Hutchins

Subject: Atlases

Period: 1859 (dated)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:
12.5 x 15 inches
31.8 x 38.1 cm
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This is a nice and complete example of this increasingly difficult to find atlas. It is filled with some of Colton's most beautifully engraved maps. Each features the delicate floral-style border not seen in any other atlas produced by the Colton family. The frontispiece is a fine steel engraving showing a beautiful woman with a globe. The maps are by G. Woolworth Colton and the extensive text is by Richard Swainson Fisher. This edition includes 113 colored maps on 47 sheets. There are 18 sheets related to the United States and North America, with the map of the United States featuring early borders and oversized territories. The map "Oregon, Washington, California, Utah & New Mexico" is after the earlier map of the same area by Mitchell as published by Thomas & Cowperthwaite. Folio, original full leather with maroon embossed boards and gilt titling with a modern spine and new endpapers. Attractive A.E.G. 400pp, frontispiece, 2 title pages, table of contents, list of maps and plans, text with wood-engraved vignettes, maps, and index. Several of these maps appear in no other publication.

References:

Condition: B+

Text and maps are mostly clean and bright with some light toning along the edges of the sheets and very light scattered foxing throughout. The frontispiece and title page are moderately foxed, while the map of Asia is toned. The covers are rubbed and edges are bumped. Binding is as new.

Estimate: $2,500 - $3,250

Sold for: $1,800

Closed on 6/12/2013

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