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1849 Mitchell Comparative Chart of the World's Mountains and Rivers
RiversMountains2-mitchell-1849$125.00
Title
Lengths of the Principal Rivers in the World. Heights of the Principal Mountains in the World.
1849 (undated) 13.5 x 16.5 in (34.29 x 41.91 cm)
1849 (undated) 13.5 x 16.5 in (34.29 x 41.91 cm)
Description
This is the scarce 1849 Samuel Augustus Mitchell Comparative Mountains and Rivers Charts. Mitchell based his Mountains and Rivers Chart on a nearly identical map first prepared by the American engraver H. S. Tanner in 1836. This stunning center weighted chart, built on the Finley model, makes the significant advance of incorporating both mountains and rivers with substantial scientific and statistical data. The problem with both this map and Finley's is that the center weighted style fails to express context on a local level, thus diminish the magnitude of smaller yet highly significant ranges (like the Andes or the Alps) in comparison to the majesty of the Himalayas.
Variants of this chart were published from 1846 to the late 1850s, when the atlas was reconfigured under DeSilver. This map was issued in the 1849 edition of the New Universal Atlas, the last edition of that atlas to be published by Mitchell prior to late 1850 sale the plates and rights to Thomas Cowperthwait.
Variants of this chart were published from 1846 to the late 1850s, when the atlas was reconfigured under DeSilver. This map was issued in the 1849 edition of the New Universal Atlas, the last edition of that atlas to be published by Mitchell prior to late 1850 sale the plates and rights to Thomas Cowperthwait.
Cartographer
Samuel Augustus Mitchell (March 20, 1792 - December 20, 1868) began his map publishing career in the early 1830s. Mitchell was born in Bristol, Connecticut. He relocated to Philadelphia in 1821. Having worked as a school teacher and a geographical writer, Mitchell was frustrated with the low quality and inaccuracy of school texts of the period. His first maps were an attempt to rectify this problem. In the next 20 years Mitchell would become the most prominent American map publisher of the mid-19th century. Mitchell worked with prominent engravers J. H. Young, H. S. Tanner, and H. N. Burroughs before attaining the full copyright on his maps in 1847. In 1849 Mitchell either partnered with or sold his plates to Thomas, Cowperthwait and Company who continued to publish the Mitchell's Universal Atlas. By about 1856 most of the Mitchell plates and copyrights were acquired by Charles Desilver who continued to publish the maps, many with modified borders and color schemes, until Mitchell's son, Samuel Augustus Mitchell Junior, entered the picture. In 1859, S.A. Mitchell Jr. purchased most of the plates back from Desilver and introduced his own floral motif border. From 1860 on, he published his own editions of the New General Atlas. The younger Mitchell became as prominent as his father, publishing maps and atlases until 1887, when most of the copyrights were again sold and the Mitchell firm closed its doors for the final time. More by this mapmaker...
Source
Mitchell, S. A., A New Universal Atlas, (S. A. Mitchell; Philadelphia) 1849.
The New Universal Atlas is one of the great American atlases of the mid-19th century. Samuel Augustus Mitchell first issued the atlas in 1846 when he acquired the map plates and copyright for Tanner's New Universal Atlas from its publisher, Carey and Hart. The first transitional 1846 edition was published jointly with Carey and Hart, but a second edition was published in the same year with the Tanner imprint erased. This edition of the atlas also introduced the signature S. A. Mitchell green and pink color scheme. Most of the maps from the early editions of the atlas were engraved by H. N. Burroughs or C. S. Williams, often bearing their copyright. Burroughs maps also tended to have what map collector David Rumsey refers to as the 'Cary and Hart' borders, which featured a narrow vine motif. These borders were replaced, along with the Burroughs imprint, with the more traditional Mitchell strap work border used in the atlases until 1856. Mitchell published editions until late in 1850, when he sold the rights to Thomas, Cowperthwait and Company of Philadelphia. Under Cowperthwait, the atlases continued to be published and bear the Mitchell name until 1856, when it the plates were again sold, this time to Charles Desilver. Desilver reworked the plates with new border art and a revised color scheme in the style of J. H. Colton. Desilver issued editions from 1857 to 1860, when the atlas was phased out in favor of Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr.'s New General Atlas.
Condition
Very good. Overall toning. Some color oxidization. Flattened creases across center, partially reinforced on verso. Chip to upper right margin not affecting image. Minor abrasion, top center border.
References
Rumsey 0545.002.