Original Antique 1852 Mitchell Map No.12

chief part of the

Southern States 

(LA, MS, AL, GA, SC & part of  NC)

and part of the 

Western States

( AR, TN & part  of TX)

This rare ephemeral map, a quick snapshot of history, shows Arkansas and Tennessee as western states.

In fact by 1852, Texas  (admitted in 1845) and California (admitted in 1850) were the only true Western States.

The 1852 edition of Mitchell Atlas, from which this map was taken, probably used an earlier map (No.8) as a template but wanted to acknowledged the existence of newly admitted western states in this edition. This edition does have a stand alone map of the State of Texas but none of California.

In any event this short-lived map configuration of the U.S. western states makes

it  an unusual addition to any collection of antique U.S. maps.

This map was taken from

Mitchell's School Atlas

Designed to Accompany Mitchell's School and Family Geography

Published by

Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co.

1853

Samuel Augustus Mitchell (1792-1868) was the most prolific American map publisher of the 19th Century. Originally a school teacher, his frustration with the poor quality of educational maps led him to form his own mapmaking business. In 1830, he purchased the plates and rights to Anthony Finley's New American Atlas (1826) and hired J. H. Young, Finley's chief engraver, to improve and update the plates. He acquired the copyright for Henry S. Tanner's New Universal Atlas (1836) in 1845, and extended the life of the copperplates by having the images transferred to lithographic stone for printing. Mitchell was also a pioneer in the use of steel engraving, employing the technique in the early 1830s, almost 20 years before the general switch to steel was approximately 1850. Mitchell retired in 1860, turning the business over to his son Samuel Augustus Mitchell, Jr. The firm prospered until the 1890s.

James H. Young (1817-66) was an Irish-American cartographer, draftsman and engraver who played a leading role in the creation of 19th Century American maps and atlases. Based in Philadelphia, he was at various times associated with Anthony Finley, Charles Varle, William Kneass, George Delleker, and Samuel Augustus Mitchell, amongst others. His best-known work were the maps for Finley and later Mitchell's New American Atlas. While arguably the finest map engraver in America of his day, he was far more than an artisan, but also a knowledgeable and discerning editor of sources, and a designer of maps. Walter Ristow asserted that "Young was the [S.A. Mitchell] company's principal compiler and draftsman as well as chief engraver from 1830" until the 1860s. 

Atlas cover and title page shown in the photos are not part of the sale

but are for documentation of the maps origin only.