c 1857 UTAH and NEW MEXICO - Morse & Gaston

$89.00

“UTAH AND NEW MEXICO” New York: Charles W. Morse and Samuel N. Gaston, 1857.  Original wax-engraved map, with original hand color from The Diamond Atlas. (Image: 5 x 6’’)

This map depicts the Territories of Utah (statehood 1896) and New Mexico (statehood 1912) with the counties named and in contrasting colors. Topographical features are shown, and major cities, towns and waterways located. New Mexico Territory includes present-day Arizona, and part of Colorado and Nevada. 

Utah Territory includes much of present-day Nevada and Colorado.  Exploratory routes and Indian Tribes are also located.  It is very detailed for its miniature size (nearly 70 miles per inch).

The wax-engraving method was developed by Sidney E. Morse (brother of Samuel F. B. Morse - inventor of the telegraph).  Wax engraving was “a major techno-logical breakthrough that greatly influenced American commercial map and atlas production in the U.S.” (Schwartz: Mapping of America, p. 265). This map is an early example of the process.

Presented in an archival 11x12'' mat

  • Inventory# M-13639