This is a one-of-a-kind manuscript reproduction of Edward McCandlish's classic map spoofing the Prohibition era. The anonymous mapmaker has meticulously recreated McCandlish's artistry by hand; it's a faithful copy, even if their hand is a little cruder than the engraved lines of McCandlish's original. McCandlish's map was first published in the Washington Post in 1926. He was a prominent illustrator for the children's page in many newspapers in the 1920s and 1930s, making this parody a radical departure. The Bootleggers' Map was a hit early on, and the Griswold Press (Detroit) issued a second version in the late 1920s. The map continued a successful run after Prohibition ended and was syndicated to several other publishers. Roderick Barron of Barron Maps wrote an excellent article describing the map's publication history here. The circa date is a guess based on the fact that this is copied from the original map and not the "Bill Whiffletree" version published by Hagstrom Company in 1944. Hand drawn on cloth.

The map itself is filled with illustrations and puns, as nothing is sacred in this hilarious look at alcohol and prohibition. Many place names are plays on words, like Chi-keg-o, Albu-Corky, Fill-More, Booze (Boise), and many more (some so bad they hurt) - The pints of the compass are Norse, Wets, Yeast, and Souse. A wonderful piece of Americana that beautifully captures the humor and mood of the time.

References: cf. Hornsby (Picturing America) pp. 59 & 72.

Condition: A

Very good with a few minor stains mostly along the edges of the cloth and soft creases.