This copy is copyright protected.
Copyright © 2024 Geographicus Rare Antique Maps
This item has been sold, but you can get on the Waitlist to be notified if another example becomes available, or purchase a digital scan.
1936 Wallingford Map : A Bostonian's View of the United States
BostoniansView-wallingford-1936-2$250.00
Title
This Map Presents A Bostonian's Idea of the United States of America.
1936 (undated) 11.75 x 16 in (29.845 x 40.64 cm)
1936 (undated) 11.75 x 16 in (29.845 x 40.64 cm)
Description
This is a 1936 Daniel Wallingford map of the United States as viewed by the stereotypical Bostonian. It lampoons Boston and New England-centric biases in the pre-war era.
A Closer Look
It presents New England in exaggerated size and detail east of the Connecticut River - but with decreasing accuracy and increasing vagueness further to the west. Cape Cod, in particular, is disproportionately enormous. In the 'western prairies' the cities are listed, but they are not placed anywhere, rather are simply said to be 'located in this territory'. The Mississippi River barely extends north beyond Saint Louis, while Denver and Omaha are both decidedly West Coast cities. As a point of caution, the publishers have included a warning, 'As this map contains some inaccuracies, its use in connection with problems in navigation, astronomy, meteorology, etc. is not recommended'. An inset map of Boston and its environs is situated in the lower right corner, and states 'important cities and towns not shown on general map for lack of space are included in this inset'. It is also of note that, per Wallingford, Bali is no longer located in Indonesia, but just off the coast of Central America.Publication History and Census
This map was published by Daniel Wallingford in 1936. There are four versions bearing different publication cities: Boston, Chicago and two editions in New York (one printed at 452 West 144th Street, and the other for the Columbia University Bookstore, as here). The New York editions appear to have overlapped, although analysis of the examples of Wallingford's A New Yorker's Idea of the United States of America suggest that examples of the Columbia University edition were printed between 1936 and 1939, while those with the 144th Street address were printed only 1939 and later.Cartographer
Daniel Kirkwood Wallingford (September 12, 1890 – January 11, 1964) was an American industrial designer and artist. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, the son of an architect. Wallingford, first came to national attention as a schoolboy in Indianapolis, when he was so moved by the 1898 explosion of the battleship Maine, off Cuba, that he he donated his life savings of 49 cents to the Dept. of the Navy with a note reading, 'I saved the money myself. I got part of it for having my tooth pulled and I save part of it from Christmas ... I wanted to help build a ship'. For his patriotism a steel-sheathed tugboat was named after him. Wallingford went on to attend Phillips Andover Academy, then Cornell University where studied Architecture and Industrial Design and was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. From 1917 - 1919, he served in World War I (1914 - 1818) and as Lieutenant Colonel of Artillery in World War II (1939 - 1945). He is known for two important maps, New Yorker's View of the United States of America and The Bostonian's View of the United States of America. Both maps were revolutionary in the evolution of the American pictorial map for their satirical depiction of New York and Boston, respectively. The New Yorker's View, Wallingford's first map, was initially issued in 1932 in just 100 prints, which Wallingford distributed as Christmas gifts. The map proved so popular he revised it and proceed a second edition in 1935. Later, in March of 1976, a modified version appeared as a New Yorker cover. Shortly after moving to Boston in 1936, he issued his second map, the The Bostonian's View, also sold via mail order. A third less famous map, A Bookman's Idea of the United States was published in 1938. Wallingford was most likely inspired by John T. McCutcheon's 1922 New Yorker's View of the World and intern inspired a number of subsequent artists including John Roman (Cowboy America) and Ernest Dudley Chase (The United States as Viewed by California). Despite the near iconic popularity of his two famous maps, little is known of Wallingford's personal life. Wallingford died in 1964 and was survived by his wife, Margaret. More by this mapmaker...
Condition
Very good. Marginal mends not impacting printed image. Else excellent with generous margins.
References
Rumsey 8203.000.