"Downtown District of Manhattan",

This pictorial map of Manhattan by Arthur Zaidenberg gives a unique aerial view and focuses on the historical places and events of the city. Whimsically-drawn historical figures and small banners with interesting facts fill the spaces between the three-dimensional buildings. The Battle of Golden Hill in 1770, the first stock exchange of 1792, the Great Fire of 1835, and many other important sites and events are noted. The buildings are labeled with both the name and address to assist the map-reader in locating them. The corners of the map feature images of Native Americans, explorers, colonial figures, and the Statue of Liberty. A banner at bottom notes the 150th anniversary of the city, which began as Nieuw Amsterdam and eventually became New York. At top are the official seals of New Amsterdam (1654), New York City (1915), and New Netherlands (1625). This map was likely created for the 1939 New York World’s Fair and appears to be geared toward tourists rather than New Yorkers.

Arthur Zaidenberg was a noted artist and art teacher at New York University who is known for his instructional book "Anyone Can Draw" and numerous murals he painted for hotels in Miami, Florida. The copyright is by Gardner Osborn, a historian and preservationist, who began his career in an advertising agency in New York City. Osborn was president of the New York Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution and was involved in several historical societies, and may have contributed to the historical notes in the map.

References: Rumsey #8101.

Condition: A

Crisp and bright and been professionally backed in archival tissue, repairing a chip in the right blank margin and an adjacent tear that just passes the neatline. A superb example that has not been folded, unlike most examples to be found on the market.