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Other map pages:[ Locations | Map themes & related | Cartographers ]
[ Views of Pennsylvania | Maps of Pennsylvania Counties ]
When William Penn received a grant from Charles II for the 45,000 square miles of land now called Pennsylvania, he was the recipient of huge potential wealth. For this wealth to be realized, Penn had to sell parcels of his land to new settlers. Not only would this raise cash, but it would increase the value of the land that remained in Penn's hands. Like any savvy developer, Penn used various means to publicize the sale of property in his grant. One of the most effective was a printed promotional brochure which included a map of the projected town of Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love." Penn envisioned his town as a mile wide band extending two miles from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River. Penn had his surveyor general, Thomas Holme, make up a plan for the town, which Holme did with a simple, yet elegant grid of streets enhanced by the regular placement of five parks. Once the map of the city of Philadelphia was completed, Holmes set out to produce a map of the territory west of the city. The resulting large, seven sheet wall map, encompassed southeastern Pennsylvania from Bucks County to New Castle County, and included the original grid plan for Philadelphia. This impressive cartographic document was published in 1687.
Within a few years, and almost certainly before 1699, Holme produced a reduced version of this map intended to be more practical for general use. One third the size of the original, the smaller map lacks the printed description at the bottom and shows minor changes in property ownership. William Penn's goal was for his colony, both in the city and in the country, to become thoroughly developed. Toward that end, Penn made it so that purchasing land in the country automatically entitled the landowner to several lots in the city. Showing both Philadelphia and its surrounding environs, this map would have been of great use to these early Pennsylvania landowners. This is the third state of the smaller version of the Holme map, probably after Thomas Jefferys acquired the plate. It is not only historically informative and very rare, but is also one of the earliest available printed map of Philadelphia and bordering counties. $40,000
William Scull. "A Map of Pennsylvania..." London: Sayer & Bennett, 1775. 26 3/4 x 53 1/2. Engraving. Original outline color. Tear into top margin 4 1/2" into image. Numerous short tears into right margin. Small spots in center near "Allegany Ridge" with a similar 2" stain near title. All tears expertly repaired. Strong strike with paper textures varying on original sections. Ristow, American Maps and Mapmakers, p. 53; Hansen, Pennsylvania Prints, Item 2.
A strong, attractive example of William Scull's seminal map of Pennsylvania, a map oft referred to as the 'Revolutionary War map' of the state. The information depicted on the map is far and away the most comprehensive and accurate for any map of Pennsylvania to that date, and for years thereafter; a fact that in part reflects its history. In 1759, Nicolas Scull, the Surveyor General of Pennsylvania and William Scull's grandfather, issued a map of the eastern parts of Pennsylvania commissioned by the colony's government. This was based to a great extent upon Nicolas' surveys and other first hand information, making it the standard for all subsequent maps. About ten years later, William Scull produced an updated map of Pennsylvania, basing it upon his grandfather's map as well as on his own new surveys and other information. The first edition of this map, issued in small numbers, is extremely scarce and valuable. Five years later, Sayer and Bennett issued this further updated edition in Jefferys' North American Atlas of 1775. $5,200
Reading Howell. "A Map Of The State Of Pennsylvania by Reading Howell MDCCXCII." Philadelphia: Howell, 1792. Engraving from four plates. 36 x 63 1/4 (full sheet mounted on archival linen) with moulding at top and spindle at bottom. Very good condition. References: Wheat & Brun, 433-36; Hazel Shields Garrison, "Cartography of Pennsylvania before 1800," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LIX, 255-283; Walter W. Ristow, American Maps and Mapmakers, pp. 108-10.
When Reading Howell first published his great state map of Pennsylvania in 1792, Garrison states that it was "the best map of Pennsylvania to appear in the eighteenth century, and the first detailed map to show its exact boundaries." Howell was the first to show the sliver of land that connected the state to Lake Erie, many new county seats are shown, he indicates underground streams and minerals while differentiating donation and depreciation lands. One strange feature was his propensity to draw steep bank around many streams and rivers that do not exist that way. His map replaced the many editions of the Scull map that was published in Philadelphia and various European countries in the Eighteenth Century. Howell issued several versions of his map, updating it into the early nineteenth century, and the map was so well thought of that Mathew Carey used a Samuel Lewis adaptation for his American Atlas beginning in 1795.
The entire map was printed on four different sheets which resulted in surviving copies having quadrants each surviving in different states on a single map. No preference exists for an ideal combination of quadrants because the early states are remarkable for how early some information was given, and the western quadrants are more often found because the very new information on the developing lands was more in demand in those times. The two eastern quadrants are in a second state because the title cartouche and the dedication cartouche to Thomas Mifflin both have lovely decorative borders. The northwest quadrant is a second state, and the southwest quadrant was a third state due to the frenzy of development south of Pittsburgh.
Merely two copies of this map have appeared in sales records in the last twenty eight years. Here is a classic American made map of a major state. $22,000
Joseph T. Scott. "Pennsylvania." From United States Gazetteer. Philadelphia: J. Scott, 1795. First state. 6 1/8 x 7 3/8. Engraving by J. Scott. With some old stains at bottom. Otherwise, very good condition. Wheat & Brun: 444
This is one of the earliest American maps of Pennsylvania, from the first American gazetteer. Joseph T. Scott, a Philadelphia engraver and publisher, issued his gazetteer during the early days of American cartography, and the maps of the individual states and territories are very good. Scott included much detail of rivers, counties, roads, and towns. This map of Pennsylvania, Scott's home state, was particularly detailed, showing many of the major sites, such as Pittsburgh and Fort Franklin, in the western part of the state. As an early example of American cartography and an fascinating document of Pennsylvania history, this is a gem. $350
Matthew Carey. "Pennsylvania." from Carey's American Pocket Atlas. Philadelphia: M. Carey, 1796. Engraving. With margins and folds as issued. Very good condition.
A map from Carey's American Pocket Atlas of 1796. This is a significant, early atlas issued by Mathew Carey, the first American to specialize in cartographic publishing. Carey, an Irish immigrant, set up an elaborate cottage system of craftsmen for engraving, printing, and coloring his maps, utilizing the best independent artists directed to a common end. Carey is important, then, not only for the excellent maps he produced, but for his setting the pattern for American map publishing, to be followed by the likes of John Melish and Henry S. Tanner.
The Pocket Atlas contained 19 small folding maps of the different states and territories in the United States. Carey's maps contain the most accurate and detailed information on the country and he updated his maps for each edition of his atlas. For instance, in the 1801 and 1805 editions he added roads to many of his maps. $350
A fine late eighteenth century map of the state of Pennsylvania. This map was from Jedidiah Morse's Geography, one of the first American publications of its kind. Morse, the father of Samuel F.B. Morse, established himself in the 1780s as a producer of fine American maps. Amos Doolittle, the engraver, is one of the great names in patriotic publishing, especially during the Revolution. The map is of interest because of its early detail, but also the fact that the Erie triangle is shown as part of New York. Streams, portages, and other orographical information is shown. An excellent early American-made map. $375
Daniel Friedrich Sotzmann. "Pennsylvania entworsen von D.F. Sotzmann." Hamburg: Carl Ernst Bohn, 1797. 16 x 27 3/8 (neat lines). Engraving by W. Sander. Original hand color. Full margins. Original hinge to left. Fine copy of a very scarce map. Framed.
Beginning in 1793, soon after the independence of the new United States of America, Christopher D. Ebeling (1741-1817) began work on his history and geography of America, Erdbeschreibung und Geschichte von Amerika. Realizing that maps would greatly augment the value of this work, Ebeling hired Daniel F. Sotzmann (1754-1840) to collaborate on compiling an atlas of maps, Atlas von Nordamerkia, to accompany the geography. This work to include two general maps and sixteen separate state maps, though only ten state maps were ever produced. The geography and atlas were issued in parts and continued, with additions and improvements, until 1816. In his American Maps and Mapmakers, Walter Ristow has called this project "one of the most comprehensive, detailed, and sympathetic geographic descriptions of America." (p. 169) It is a scarce and unusual publication due to internal troubles with the original publishers, and as a result, Ristow speaks of only a few American libraries owning a complete set of the ten maps (Harvard and the Library of Congress being the only two named). He concludes that the "work is among the rarest of cartographic Americana for the closing decade of the eighteenth century." (Ibid., p. 176)
This map of Pennsylvania is most impressive, reflecting the particular importance of the state to the authors because of the extensive German settlement there in the late eighteenth century. This map is based upon Reading Howell's seminal 1793 map of the state, but it appears that it was somewhat updated from data supplied by Ebeling from material he received from Germans in America. It is certainly one of the most detailed maps of Pennsylvania from the eighteenth century, far superior and scarcer than any of the other atlas maps of the state from the period. $3,500
Samuel Lewis. "Pennsylvania." From A New and Elegant General Atlas by Aaron Arrowsmith and Samuel Lewis. Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Petersburg and Norfolk: Samuel Lewis, 1804. 8 x 9 5/8. Engraving by D. Fairman. Outline color. Very good condition.
An excellent map from an early American atlas. The maps were the works of Aaron Arrowsmith, one of the foremost cartographers of his era, and Samuel Lewis, one of the leaders in the nascent American cartographic field. This map of Pennsylvania is a fine example of Lewis' output. Detail of the settlement in the state, along with topographical information is neatly portrayed. Roads and counties are also shown. A fine example of some of the best American cartography of the period. $175
George H.V. Collot. "Plan of the Town of Pittsburgh." From Georges H.V. Collot's A Voyages dans l'Amerique Septentrionale. Paris, [1796]-1826. 7 1/2 x 11. Engraving by Antoine Francois Tardieu. Lined with linen. Very good condition.
An important and rare map of Pittsburgh drawn in 1796, showing the nascent city and forts located at the conjunction of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers. The map was issued in General Georges Collot's, Voyages dans l'Amerique Septentrionale, which reported on his expedition through the interior of North America. This was taken at the instigation of the French Minister to the United States, Pierre Augustus Adet, who asked Collot to create "a minute detail of the political, commercial, and military state of the Western part" of the country. Adet was in general interested in the situation in America, but he supposedly also had plans to attack the Spanish in their possessions of Louisiana and Florida so Collot's survey was of military interest to the French as well. Collot traveled along the waterways leading from the Great Lakes to the mouth of the Mississippi, mapping and making drawings of the sites he passed. Collot's survey was the most detailed and accurate of the western interior of North America at that time, but because of political considerations Collot's account and plates, which were printed in 1805, were not issued until two decades later. Published in 1826, the journal--issued simultaneously in French and English editions--included an atlas of 36 maps and views. Interestingly, it is recorded that all but 100 of the English and 300 of the French volumes were deliberately destroyed just after the publication. Thus these important plates are extremely scarce, making them amongst the most sought after images of America. This map represents the earliest printed depiction of Pittsburgh with such detail. The ruins of the original Port Pitt are shown at the point, with the newer Fort Lafayette placed further up stream along the Allegheny. The street plan of Pittsburgh, with streets set up parallel to both rivers, is mapped out; the blocks along the Monongahela are shown well developed, with far fewer buildings indicated in the streets along the Allegheny. The hilly terrain further inland clearly depicted and a lettered key identifies various sites. Though published in 1824 to 1826, this map has its roots and history in the eighteenth century. $4,800
Go to Collot map of the upper Ohio River, including Pittsburgh
Mathew Carey. "Pennsylvania." Philadelphia: M. Carey & son, 1814. 11 1/2 x 18 1/4. Engraving. Original outline color. Very good condition.
An important map of Pennsylvania by Mathew Carey, one of the seminal figures in early American Cartography. Published during the War of 1812, this map is from Carey's Atlas which represented the best American cartographic work of the period. Carey, an Irish immigrant, established the first American specialized cartographic publishing firm. He set up an elaborate cottage system of craftsmen for engraving, printing, and coloring his maps utilizing the best independent artists directed to a common end. Carey is important, then, not only for the excellent maps he produced, but for his setting the pattern for American map publishing, to be followed by the likes of John Melish and Henry S. Tanner. This map of Pennsylvania, Carey's home state, is a fine example of his work. Topographical information is neatly portrayed, including towns, rivers, mountains, and roads. The counties are named and indicated by light pastel coloring. Longitude is given both with a prime meridian at London and at Philadelphia. $825
John Melish. "Map of the National Road between Cumberland and Wheeling." From A Geographical Description of the United States. Philadelphia: Melish, 1822. Engraving. 5 3/4 x 10 3/4. On thin tissue paper, with folds as issued. Very good condition.
An early printed American road map, showing the "national road" running from Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River, to Wheeling, on the Ohio River, crossing mostly through the southern part of Pennsylvania. John Melish was the first American publisher to issue exclusively cartographic and geographic items. Born in Scotland, Melish visited the U.S. several times beginning in 1806, finally settling there in 1811. Making many notes on his travels about the country, in 1812 he published Travels in the United States of America, which included his first maps. He came to dominate the industry in this country and had a huge impact on all subsequent American mapping. Beginning in 1816, Melish issued his Geographical Description, which contained extensive information about the entire United States and surrounding regions. In 1822, Melish issued an expanded edition, which included 12 engraved regional maps of considerable note. The earliest traces of the National Road were recorded in 1754-55 when Braddock's expedition used this route to approach Fort Duquesne. The road was authorized and financed by the U.S. Congress in 1806 and completed to Wheeling, Virginia, now West Virginia, in 1818. Wheeling was then the major jumping off place for the many immigrants to the burgeoning mid-western part of the country, opened up after the War of 1812. Though the road passed over several steep ridges (nicely shown with hatchuring), and through extensive forests, a number of settlements and towns such as Washington and Union developed along its length. $325
"Pennsylvania." From A Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas. Philadelphia: H.C. Carey & I. Lea, 1822-1825. 12 x 17 3/4 (map); 16 3/4 x 20 1/2 (full sheet). Very good condition.
In 1822, Henry Charles Carey and Isaac Lea published their 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. The sheets from this atlas are comprised of an engraved map surrounded by text documenting the history, climate, population and so forth of the area depicted. This map of Pennsylvania shows excellent and very up-to-date detail, with the river systems particularly well mapped, and the development of the state is graphically illustrated, with towns and roads depicted throughout the state. $575
Henry S. Tanner. "Map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey." From New American Atlas. Philadelphia: H.S. Tanner, 1823. 20 1/2 x 27. Engraving by "H.S. Tanner & Assistants." Full original color. Slight separation and foldover at centerfold. Non-acidic mending tape on verso. Else good condition.
An impressive and important American map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. From Tanner's seminal American Atlas, which was a monument in the early history of American cartography. Its format and size and detail made it probably the first American made atlas to equal the work of the best European firms. The atlas was well received and this established Tanner in his subsequent position as the leading American cartographic publisher. The state maps, all but two showing two states on a sheet, are wonderful historic documents of an important and dynamic period of American history. Tanner used Washington, D.C. as the prime meridian; as he explains in the introduction to the atlas, this was primarily because of a lack of an accepted European prime meridian. Each state is carefully mapped, using the most up-to-date information of physical features, towns, roads, trails, political boundaries, and other cultural details. This map of Pennsylvania and New Jersey is typical of the quality of the maps from the atlas. $1,450
Fielding Lucas, Jr. "Pennsylvania." From A General Atlas. Baltimore: F. Lucas, Jr., 1823. 11 1/4 x 17 3/4. Engraving. Full original hand color. Full margins. Very good condition.
An early map of Pennsylvania by Baltimore cartographer Fielding Lucas, Jr. (1781- 1854). Lucas appears to have become involved in the publishing and book trade while a resident of Philadelphia from 1798 to 1804, when he moved to Baltimore. In 1807 Lucas joined Conrad, Lucas & Co., and then in 1810 he set up his own business at 138 Market Street. In the second decade of the nineteenth century, through his Philadelphia contacts, Lucas was one of the major contributors to Carey & Lea's atlas of 1823. Concurrently with this involvement, Lucas brought out his own General Atlas, containing 104 maps of all parts of the world, engraved by B.T. Welch & Co. of Baltimore and Young & Delleker of Philadelphia. These maps are amongst his finest works, and they well demonstrate the quality that Lucas brought to this nascent industry. The map of Pennsylvania with its early date and interesting information, is a fine example of Lucas' work. The river systems in the state are well delineated, and the towns and road system are also shown with exacting detail. Beautifully engraved and colored, this is an excellent map of the state by an important American cartographer. $650
D.H. Vance. "Map of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Constructed from the Latest Authorities 1825." Philadelphia: Anthony Finley, 1826. Engraving by J.H. Young. 17 x 21 1/2 (neat lines). Full original hand color. Full margins. Some light stains and transferring, as expected with a double folio. A few short tears in bottom margin; all margins complete and generous. Overall, fine condition. Phillips, Atlases, 1378.
A rare and striking map of the traditional "Middle States" area from Finley's large atlas issued in 1827. Detail is excellent, showing waterways, roads and canals especially proposed canals. The map depicts just before the dawn of railroads. Counties are indicated by various colors and named. The calligraphy in the title is lovely. This hard to find map is one of the most interesting of the region. The inset "Statistical Table" provides population figures by counties for the three states from the census of 1810 and that of 1820. $1,100
J. Yeager, sc. "Pennsylvania. Canals, Railroads, the Coal Regions, and Numberof Inhabitants in each County of the State." Credit reads, "Engraved for the Casket Published by S. C. Atkinson." Philadelphia: S.C. Atkinson, 1826-36. 8 1/4 x 11 1/4 (neat lines) plus margins. Engraving (hand colored). Printed on bank note paper. Former folds evident as issued. Conserved.
This small map of Pennsylvania is crammed with information on population of counties, distances by steamboats, topography, and political districts all surrounded by elegant borders provided by the famous engraver Joseph Yeager. The map once graced a monthly issue of The Casket: Flowers of Literature Wit and Sentiment (Philadelphia, 1826-36) that was published by Samuel C. Atkinson and Charles Alexander. Obviously a lesson in local geography was a necessary part of the education of polite society at the time. $275
Anthony Finley. "Pennsylvania." From A New General Atlas. Philadelphia: A. Finley, 1827. 8 1/2 x 11 1/4. Engraving by Young & Delleker. Original hand coloring. Very good condition.
Another Finley map, from his quarto atlas of 1827. Typically of his output, the map is elegantly presented, with crisp and clear engraving and very attractive pastel hand shading. Topographical and political information is copious, including counties, towns, rivers, roads and so on. Finley's work is a good example of the quality that American publishers were beginning to obtain in the early decades of the century. Finley was very concerned to depict as up-to-date information as was possible, and thus his map presents an accurate picture of Pennsylvania in the 1820s. $250
Regional maps of Northeastern Pennsylvania. New Haven: Benjamin Silliman, 1831. From The American Journal of Science. Engravings by Amos Doolitttle. Very good condition.
In 1818, Yale professor and scientist Benjamin Silliman founded the American Journal of Science and Arts (later shortened to American Journal of Science and usually referred to as Silliman's Journal), which became the most important American scientific journal. Interestingly, the journal is still published to this day and it retains its great influence. Silliman was a geologist and chemist and the journal focused on natural sciences, particularly geology (which is the sole focus of the current magazine). These two maps fit that theme. Both were engraved by important American craftsman Amos Doolittle near the end of his career.
Go to page 2, maps of Pennsylvania
Go to page of rare books of Pennsylvania, including some with folding maps
Go to page of views of Pennsylvania
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