Antique Maps of Washington

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John Melish. "Outlet of Columbia River." From A Geographical Description of the United States. Philadelphia: J. Melish, 1822. 6 5/8 x 3 7/8. Engraving by J. Vallance. Very good condition.

A small map of the mouth of the Columbia River by one of the seminal figures in the history of American cartography. John Melish was the first American publisher to issue exclusively cartographic and geographic items. Born in Scotland and involved in the textile industry, Melish visited the United States several times beginning in 1806, finally deciding to settle there in 1811. Melish had made many notes on his travels about the country and in 1812 he published Travels in the United States of America, which included his first maps and which started him on his cartographic career. Melish 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 a considerably expanded edition, which included 12 engraved regional maps of considerable note, including this fine map. The map, oriented to the east, gives the topographical situation in the area, indicates Astoria, and notes the locations of various points named by early explorers. $250

Philippe Vander Maelen. [Mouth of the Columbia River]. Amerique Septentrionale; No. 38. From Atlas Universel. Brussels: P. Vander Maelen, 1827. 18 1/4 x 20. Lithograph by H. Ode. Original outline hand coloring. Expertly conserved with repairs to small tears. Else excellent 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 showing 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. This map shows the area on either side of the mouth of the Columbia River. This is a very early map to focus just on this area and a note mentions Lewis & Clark's arrival at the Pacific Ocean. Also included are the tracks of early explorer's ships, including those of Cook and Vancouver. Mt. Rainer, Mt. St. Helen, and Mt. Jefferson are indicated, as is Puget Sound. Forts Astoria and Clatsop, at the mouth of the river, are indicated, and Indian tribes throughout are named. A wonderful and scarce map of the American northwest. $500

"A New Map of the State of California, The Territories of Oregon, Washington, Utah & New Mexico." Philadelphia: Charles Desilver, 1856. 16 x 12 3/4. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition. Denver.

Charles Desilver, one of the many publishers working in Philadelphia during the mid-nineteenth century, issued an atlas of maps based on the famous Tanner-Mitchell-Cowperthwait series. Desilver used much the same information as originally drawn in the 1840s, but updated the maps with new counties, roads, towns, etc. Here the country west of the Rockies is depicted with the state of California and the rest comprised of just four territories: Washington, Oregon, Utah and New Mexico. Settlement in those territories was quite sparse at the time, with some cities shown, and a number of counties developed in the western part of the northern most territories. The map was issued just after the Gadsden Treaty (1854) so the current southern border with Mexico is depicted. Of note are depictions of the southern route proposed for the Pacific Railroad, the Spanish trail from Santa Fe to Los Angeles, the routes of Lewis & Clark and Fremont, and the Oregon Trail. Forts are indicated, as are the territories of various Indian tribes. Of interest is the small section entitled "Middle Park," which is shown as part of Utah, but which is currently part of Colorado (the western part of which is shown as part of Kansas Territory. Overall, a terrific and up-to-date map of the western United States. $650

"Washington Territory." 1863. 16 5/8 x 21 3/8. Lithograph. Published in Washington by the U.S. Government Printing Office in 1864. Folded as issued. Fragile at folds, but complete.

A fascinating map showing knowledge of this area during the years of the American Civil War. $110

A.J. Johnson. "Johnson's Washington, Oregon, and Idaho." New York: Johnson & Ward, 1863. 12 5/8 x 15 5/8. Lithograph. Original hand coloring. One small spot over Oregon, otherwise very good condition.

A detailed map of the northwest corner of the United States. This map shows a very early configuration of this region, which was originally all the Oregon Territory. In 1853, the northern part was created as the Washington Territory, and this configuration stayed until 1863 when the eastern part was broken off to form the Idaho Territory, when Congress passed the Organic Act. Just a year later this territory was again broken up, so the part east of the Rocky Mountain ridge became the Montana Territory. This map was issued during the short period when the Idaho Territory was at its largest extent, a configuration depicted on the map. The detail in this map is most impressive, showing rivers, towns, forts, Indian tribes, and the early trails which criss-crossed this region. This map, issued during the Civil War, shows the territories just before they were filled with new settlers, miners and other speculators. This is a wonderful map of an important period in the history of the American northwest. $225

"Map of Oregon, Washington and Part of Idaho." Philadelphia: S. A. Mitchell, Jr., ca. 1863. 10 3/4 x 13 3/8. Lithograph. Original hand-coloring. Very good condition. Denver.

For most of the middle part of the nineteenth century, the firm founded by S. Augustus Mitchell dominated American cartography in output and influence. This fine map is from one of his son's atlases issued about 1863. That year the territory of Idaho was established out of parts of the Oregon, Washington and Dakota Territories. It included most of what is today is Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Just a year later, the eastern part of the territory was divided between the new territory of Montana and the remainder back to Dakota. This is the only version of Mitchell's map to show the very large Idaho, though it does not take in the entire eastern part of the territory. $175

Johnson and Ward. "Johnson's Washington, Oregon, and Idaho." 1864. 13 5/8 x 15 1/2. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition.

An updated version of the above map by Johnson and Ward showing new political boundaries. Whereas the 1863 edition of Johnson's map showed the newly created Idaho Territory, which came on the heels of the newly formed Washington Territory, this map illustrates new divisions with the introduction of the Montana and Dakota Territories. The middle and northern sections of Idaho's present eastern boundary approximate what is shown on this map, but the south-eastern section extends to the 110th meridian, apparently until Wyoming came along. Interestingly, the eastern boundary lines to the north are credited to the influence of one man, Sidney Edgerton, an Ohio congressman, who relocated to the Idaho Territory for a judicial appointment. Originally, the Idaho legislature had proposed that the eastern border follow the Continental Divide. Feeling jilted with his placement in the north of the Territory east of the Rockies, Edgerton exercised his influence in Washington and allied with his neighbors in Montana to push the state line westward, from the Rocky Mountains to the ridgeline formed by the Coeur d'Alene and Bitterroot Mountains. $225

A.J. Johnson. "Johnson's Oregon and Washington and Johnson's Minnesota." New York: Johnson & Ward, 1865. 17 x 23 3/8. Lithograph. Full original hand color. Very good condition.

An attractive and interesting map of three western states from A. J. Johnson's mid-nineteenth century atlas of the world. Johnson who published out of New York City, was one of the leading cartographic publishers in the latter half of the century, producing popular atlases, geographies, and so on. This finely detailed map is a good example of Johnson's, and thus early American, cartography. Towns, roads, railroads, rivers, lakes, and mountains are shown throughout. Johnson shows the Indian tribes, and the major routes of travel. Also shown are the proposed rail routes and U.S. forts. Johnson is careful to show only details based on first-hand information, leaving other areas blank. In the 1860s, the American west was just opening to exploration and settlement, and this is an excellent picture of the region at the time. $65

"Map of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and part of Montana." Philadelphia: S. Augustus Mitchell, Jr., 1872. 10 3/4 x 13 3/8. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition. Denver.

Another version of Mitchell's map of the American northwest, dated on the map as 1872. Of note in this version is a bold dashed line crossing Montana, Idaho and Oregon, in which it branches with one route going to Wallula and one to Puget City. Though not identified, this is likely a proposed rail route that seems to appear on only this version of Mitchell's map. $150

Frank A. Gray. "Map of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia." From Gray's Atlas. 1873. 14 5/8 x 12. Original hand color. Small stain in lower Oregon. Otherwise, very good.

A nicely detailed and very early map of the northwestern part of the United States by the Philadelphia firm of O.W. Gray. The firm began its publishing around mid-century and published regional and U.S. atlases up to the 1880s, first as O.W. Gray and then O.W. Gray & Son. This map is typical of their work, presenting the latest information available with clear and precise detail. Detail includes topography, rivers, settlements, Indian tribes and even early railroads and the shipping route to the mouth of the Columbia River. For its attractive presentation and interesting detail make it a nice example of late nineteenth century American cartography. $125

"The Pacific States and Territories." 1877. 10 7/8 x 8 3/4. Lithograph. Original color. Very good condition. Denver.

Illustrates Washington, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California. $45

S. Augustus Mitchell. "County and Township Map of Oregon and Washington." Philadelphia: S. A. Mitchell, 1880. 20 x 14 1/2. Lithograph. Original hand color. Full margins. Very good condition.

For most of the middle part of the nineteenth century, S. Augustus Mitchell dominated American cartography. This fine map is from his atlas issued in 1880, and it depicts as current geographical information as was available at the time. Major topographical features are indicated, as are the routes of the principal land explorations and railroads of the nineteenth century. Also shown are major political divisions, highlighted with contrasting colors, giving us an interesting picture of the area in 1880. $75

W.M. Bradley. "County and Township Map of Oregon and Washington." W.M. Bradley & Bros., 1886. 19 3/4 x 14 1/2. Original hand outline color. Very good condition.

An updated version of Mitchell's County and Township Map of Oregon and Washington published six years later, and showing the expanded development of the platting system of surveying across the west. Informationally little else has been added to this edition. $75

"Washington and Oregon." New York: Hunt & Eaton, 1890. 11 1/4 x 9 1/4. Engraving by L.B. Folger. Very good condition.

An attractive atlas map published one year after Washington was admitted to the Union of States. $45

"Map of Western Washington Showing Density of Merchantable Timber." From U.S. Geographical Survey's Nineteenth Annual Report Part V PL. V. New York: Julius Bien & Co., 1898. 17 3/4 x 14 3/4. Lithograph. Very good condition. $45

"Map of Washington Forest Reserve, Showing Distribution of Timber Species." From U.S. Geographical Survey's Nineteenth Annual Report Part V PL. LXXV. New York: Julius Bien & Co., 1898. 18 x 16 1/2. Lithograph. Very good condition. $45

H.B. Ayers, W.G. Steele, and M.W. Gorman. "Map of Washington Forest Reserve, Showing Wooded, Burned, and Restocked Areas and the Density of Merchantable Timber, in Feet B.M." From U.S. Geographical Survey's Nineteenth Annual Report Part V PL. LXXIV. New York: Julius Bien & Co., 1898. 18 x 16 1/2. Lithograph. Very good condition. $45

"Standard Map of Washington." From Rand McNally & Co.'s Commercial Atlas of America. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co., ca. 1900. 19 x 25 1/4. Very good condition.

Large, colorful atlas map of Washington detailing railroad and shipping lines and topography, and includes an index of major railroads operating within the state. Index to principal cities and census population data shown in left margin, and an index to towns on reverse. $55

Samuel J. Humes. "Highway Map State of Washington." Washington State Highway Department, January 1928. 15 1/2 x 20 3/4 (neat lines) plus full margins. Photostat on heavy paper. Folds from former use. A fine example.

This early highway map plats the entire state and conveys topography, primary and secondary highways with numbers and historic names, while distinguishing among paved, graveled, earth, and proposed roads. An intricate and detailed map. $150

Lloyd Edwin Smith. "Washington." From the Commercial Atlas of the World. Ed. By Frederick J. Branom. Chicago: Geographical Publishing Company, 1931. 14 5/8 x 20 7/8. Folio. Chromolithograph. Very good condition.

Large colored map of Washington showing railroad lines, with index to counties and towns, and census data on reverse. Photographic views on reverse showing timber in eastern Washington and a birdseye view of the city of Spokane. $55

"Tacoma." Chicago: Geo. F. Cram, 1890s. 13 x 8 7/8. Engraving by Geo. F. Cram. Very good condition. $65

"Washington." New York: Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company, ca. 1915. Ca. 3 x 5. Chromolithograph by Donaldson Brothers. Very good condition.

A delightful map issued about 1890 by the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company. This firm was founded by John and Charles Arbuckle of Pittsburgh, PA. They developed a machine to weigh, fill, seal and label coffee in paper packages, which allowed them to become the largest importer and seller of coffee in the world. Their most famous promotional program involved the issuing of several series of small, colorful trading cards, one of which was included in every package of Arbuckle's Coffee. These series included cards with sports, food, historic scenes, and-one of the most popular-maps. The latter cards included not only a map, but also small illustrations "which portrays the peculiarities of the industry, scenery, etc." of the region depicted. This map of Washington is a wonderful example, including vignette illustrations showing a lumber mill and a cargo ship. $60