Catalog Archive
Auction 157, Lot 158

"Aviation Map of United States Featuring Landing Fields [on verso] Official Auto Trails Map of the United States Featuring Tourist Camp Sites [together with] The Complete Camp Site Guide Including All Airplane Landings...", Rand McNally & Co.

Subject: United States

Period: 1923 (published)

Publication:

Color: Printed Color

Size:
40.4 x 25.9 inches
102.6 x 65.8 cm
Download High Resolution Image
(or just click on image to launch the Zoom viewer)

This rare, early aviation map of the United States is the first edition, published in April 1923. Akerman in Cartographics of Travel and Navigation (The Kenneth Nebenzahl, Jr., Lectures in the History of Cartography), p. 237, describes the map: "Using data collected by [U.S. Air Service] Rand, McNally published its first aviation map of the U.S. in April, 1923. More than 3,000 landing fields are shown by dot symbols…" Green overprinting is used to locate airports and to divide the states into nine districts as indicated in Roman Numerals, but there is no explanation of these regions. Five large inset maps illustrate major cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Boston. The map was created by the United States Touring Information Bureau, Waterloo, Iowa with the cooperation of the Airway Section of the United States Army Air Service and the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America. On the verso is the colorful U.S. Auto Trails Map with Tours and Camp Sites.

This is the first aviation map produced by the Rand, McNally Company and is complete with its original Complete Camp Site Guide, which includes a pocket at the rear to store and protect the map. The 115 pp. guide lists all camp grounds and landing sites. 12mo, hardbound in green cloth-covered boards with illustration on front cover.

References:

Condition: B

The map has numerous splits at fold intersections and some toning around the title where the map folded into the back cover of the guidebook. Text is clean and tight and covers show typical wear.

Estimate: $240 - $300

Sold for: $325

Closed on 5/4/2016

Archived