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In 1822, Henry Charles Carey and Isaac Lea published their A Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas. This volume was based on Emmanuel Las Cases' Atlas Historique of 1803, with updated maps and text modified by Carey, a political economist. He considered himself an American foil to John Stuart Mill and the London economists who were proclaimers of "the gloomy science" influenced by Ricardo and Malthus. Instead of preaching overpopulation and degeneration of the human species, Carey illustrated the nations of the western hemisphere through maps that showed an expanding region with ample promise of developing into lands of great new opportunity and growth. The sheets from this atlas, which cover North America, Central America, South America and the West Indies, are comprised of an engraved map surrounded by text documenting the history, climate, population and so forth of the area depicted. This map shows Mexico, including today's Texas, based upon "Humboldt's Map & other Documents." This refers to Alexander von Humboldt's "A Map of New Spain" from 1811, a seminal document in the history of the mapping of Mexico. It shows impressive detail of towns, rivers, lakes, some orography, roads and political divisions. Though a number of towns are indicated in modern-day Texas, little was known of this region at the time. In contrast, the central region of Mexico is comprehensively mapped. $650
P. Vander Maelen. "59. Partie du Mexique." [North Central Mexico.] From Atlas Universel. Brussels: P. Vander Maelen, 1827. 18 1/4 x 20. Lithograph by H. Ode. Original outline hand coloring. Very good condition.
A well executed and very detailed map from Vander Maelen's monumental atlas of 1827, the Atlas Universel. This atlas was one of the most remarkable world atlases ever produced, anticipating the International Map of the World and showng for the first time the entire land mass of the world on a uniform scale. The entire atlas consisted of 400 maps drawn on a scale of ca. 1:1.6 million, with as precise and accurate information as was then available. This atlas was also the first to be made totally with lithography, each map precisely drawn by H. Ode. This map shows the north-central part of Mexico, with the Rio Grande cutting across the top right. Information includes towns, roads, rivers and extensive topographical hatchuring. An interesting map of a scale well before its time. $325
David H. Burr. "The United States of Mexico." From Universal Atlas. New York: D.H. Burr, Feb. 16, 1832. 12 1/2 x 10 1/4. Engraving by Illman & Pilbrow. Full original color. Some paper waviness. Otherwise, very good condition.
An excellent map of the southwestern part of North America, along with Central America, by David H. Burr, one of the most important American cartographers of the first part of the nineteenth century. Having studied under Simeon DeWitt, Burr produced the second state atlas issued in the United States, of New York in 1829. He was then appointed to be geographer for the U.S. Post Office and later geographer to the House of Representatives. This map shows Mexico three years before Texas broke off and just over a decade before it lost its entire northern section, becoming today's American southwest. Stephen F. Austin had received a grant to settle in Texas in 1823 and more and more Americans moved into the area until in 1830 the Mexican government forbade further emigration into Texas from the U.S. Relations between the Americans in Texas and Mexico deteriorated and in June 1832, just after this map was issued, the first fighting broke out at the Battle of Velasco. This map shows early settlements in Texas, including San Felippe de Austin, S. Antonio, la Trinity, Ft. del Altar, Espada, Lagunilla, Matagordia, Brazoria, and Nacadoches. The information in the inset map of South America ("Guatemala or the United Provinces of Central America") is also very good. $850
John Dower. "Mexico and Guatimala." From A New General Atlas of the World. London: Henry Teesdale & Co., 1835. 13 1/4 x 16 3/8. Engraving by J. Dower. Original outline color. Excellent condition.
A fine British map showing Mexico the year before Texas broke away and a decade before it lost "Upper or New California" as well. The map shows the typical superb craftsmanship of the British mapmakers, with clearly engraved, copious detail throughout Mexico. Only a few rivers and mountains are indicated in what was then the United States. In the current southwestern part of the United States, then part of Mexico, the information is quite good, showing rivers, Indian tribes, and some settlements. Of note is the geographic error of a double representation of the Great Salt Lake, as well as equally non-existent rivers running from these lakes to the Pacific. A nice picture of the geographic knowledge and mistakes of the period. $575
A. Le Sage. "Confederazione Messicana tratta dale ultime mappe di Humboldt e di Buchon per l'Atl. di A. Le Sale." Venice: Girolamo Tasso, 1835. 12 3/4 x 19. Engraving. Original color. Light waterstain in left margin. Very good condition.
A map showing the settled areas of Mexico based by Le Sage from the work of Humboldt and Buchon and issued in an Italian atlas published by Girolamo Tasso. Topographical features, especially the mountains running up into "Nuovo Messico," are emphasized, and the Mexican regions are shown in contrasting colors, with major settlements indicated and named. Text panels, in Italian, giving a history and description of Mexico surround the map on the sides. $850
John Dower. "Mexico and Guatimala." From A New General Atlas of the World. London: Henry Teesdale & Co., 1842. 13 3/8 x 16 3/8. Engraving by J. Dower. Original outline color. Very good condition. Denver.
An unusual map showing Mexico and Texas as an independent republic. In 1821, when Mexico achieved independence from Spain, the northern regions of Texas, New Mexico and California were sparsely populated with Native Americans and a few scattered settlements of European descendants. In 1823, Mexico, in hopes of strengthening her position in the north, let Stephen F. Austin set up a colony of Americans in Texas. Tensions between the Mexican government and the American colonists began to escalate in the 1830s, leading to an outbreak of fighting in late 1835 after Santa Anna overthrew the Mexican constitution and set up a dictatorship. A convention of Texans met at San Felipe de Austin from October to November, issuing a Declaration of Causes and forming a provisional government. Fighting between the Mexicans and Texans began in October and lasted until the spring of 1836, with the result that Texas became an independent republic. Mexico never formally accepted Texas' independence, but an informal truce held until 1845, though there were some incidents of conflict. This map shows Texas as independent, including a note which states "The Province of TEXAS acknowledged an Independent State by Grt. Brtain, Novr. 1840." Detail of Texas, Mexico, and the rest of Central America is excellent, with mountains, rivers, lakes, towns, and some forts noted throughout. Also indicated, as noted under the title, are mines, an important economic factor in the region. Each province and country is indicated with contrasting pastel shades, with the British possessions noted in red. Historically of considerable note and quite attractive as well, this is a wonderful document of Texiana interest. $1,250
Henry S. Tanner. "Mexico & Guatemala." Philadelphia: Carey & Hart, [1834]-1844. 12 3/4 x 14 3/4. Engraving by J. Knight. Original color. Very good condition. Two insets are included: of the Valley of Mexico and Guatemala. Cf: Wheat: 519. Denver.
An excellent map of Mexico by the great American cartographer, Henry Schenck Tanner. In 1816, Henry, his brother Benjamin, John Vallance and Francis Kearny formed an engraving firm in Philadelphia. Having had experience at map engraving through his work with John Melish, Tanner conceived of the idea of compiling and publishing an American Atlas, which was begun in 1819 by Tanner, Vallance, Kearny & Co. Soon Tanner took over the project on his own, and thus began his career as a cartographic publisher. The American Atlas was a huge success, and this inspired Tanner to produce his Universal Atlas, of more manageable size. This atlas contained excellent maps of all parts of the world. This map is typical of his work. The map shows Mexico just before the Mexican-American War, during which the country lost its northern provinces to the United States. In that region, the detail in New Mexico, along the Rio Grande to north of Santa Fe, is quite accurate, but the information in Upper California is not so correct. In particular, Tanner shows the two non-existent rivers flowing from the Great Basin to the Pacific. The R. Timpanogos flows from the Great Salt Lake to San Francisco Bay, while the equally non-existent R. S. Bueanaventura flows from equally distant inland further south. Issued first in 1834, the map was updated and reissued by Tanner over the years, for instance in this map Tanner has added Houston and Austin to Texas. Texas is here shown as an independent republic, making this map particular desirable as well as historically fascinating. $850
"Mexico & Guatimala With Texas." Glasgow: J. Lothian, 1846. Engraving. Original outline color. External decorative border trimmed, but entire map present. Very good condition. Denver.
A rare Scottish map of the southern half of North America, showing Texas as an independent republic. There was an earlier version of this map without reference to Texas in the title and which showed it as part of Mexico, despite its independence declared in 1836. It always took a while for information to reach across the Atlantic and European publishers were sometimes reluctant to make quick revisions. In 1846, Lothian issued a new edition of the map showing an independent Texas very clearly, with its enlarged border extending to the Rio Grande. Interestingly, however, by the time the map was published, Texas had become an American state, so Lothian was out-of-date once again. Still, this is one of the scarcer maps showing Texas as an Republic. $750
Henry S. Tanner. "Mexico & Guatemala." Philadelphia: S. Augustus Mitchell, 1846. 12 3/4 x 14 3/4. Lithographic transfer from engraved plate. Original color. Some typical paper toning. Very good condition. Wheat: 519.
An excellent map of Mexico by the great American cartographer, Henry Schenck Tanner. The map shows Mexico at the beginning of the Mexican-American War, during which the country lost its northern provinces to the United States. In that region, the detail in New Mexico, along the Rio Grande to north of Santa Fe, is quite accurate, but the information in Upper California is not so correct. Texas is shown as part of the United States, having just been annexed the year before this map was issued. This map came from the final edition of Tanner's atlas before Mitchell, the publisher, made the atlas his own. $475
S. Augustus Mitchell. "Map of Mexico Including Yucatan & Upper California, exhibiting The Chief Cities And Towns, The Principal Travelling Routes &c." Second state, with copyright of 1846. Philadelphia: S.A. Mitchell, 1847. Folding map on thin banknote paper (missing covers). 17 1/4 x 25 1/8. Lithograph. Original hand color. With some separations and small holes at folds; all expertly repaired and filled. Overall, very good condition. With inset of "The Late Battlefield." Wheat: 548. Denver.
With the annexation of Texas into the United States, war soon erupted between the U.S. and Mexico. As soon as the conflict was under way, Philadelphia map publisher, S. Augustus Mitchell, saw that there would be a demand for maps detailing the events in this far-off corner of the continent, so he quickly came out with a folding map of Mexico, with Texas shown with a red outline in its relative position, its panhandle extending to the 42nd parallel. The map was very much a war map, with topographical information kept to a minimum, but roads, towns, political divisions and rivers are clearly shown. Mitchell updated this map as news arrived of events, adding little flags to indicate the site of battles. This map shows the battles of the Alamo, San Jacinto, Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey. In the upper right Mitchell included a detailed inset map of "The Late Battlefield" at Monterey. Another feature of interest is the depiction of the "Great Spanish Trail to Santa Fe" (from San Francisco) and the "Trander's Route to Independence, Mo." from Santa Fe to the east. A fine example of this important war map. $8,500
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Place Order ![P. Vander Maelen. "59. Partie du Mexique." [North Central Mexico.]](images/vandermael59.jpg){kind=link}