“A General Map OF NORTH AMERICA...” J. Russell. London: H. D. Symonds, 1795, for W. Winterbotham’s An Historical, Geographical, Commercial, and Philosophical View of the American United States. Reference: Wheat, # 228. Engraved map with original folds as issued. (Image: 14.5 x 18.5’’ – Paper Size: 15 x 20.5’’)
A fine dark impression of Russell’s map of North America, at the height of its early territorial transition, including a massive unknown Northwestern region, a speculative NW Coast of America (pre-dating Vancouver & La Perouse), and many other fascinating early features. There is excellent detail in Texas and the Southwest. Many of the Hudson’s Bay and other trading houses west of the Great Lakes are named. Nice detail in the Mississippi and Missouri Valleys, pre-dating Lewis & Clark’s explorations of the region. A conjectural Missouri River extends tentatively to the Rocky Mountains. East & West Florida are still in existence.
John Russell introduced an entirely new feature to the topography of North America with this map by showing a long range of “Stony Mountains” in the west. At the northern tip of the mountain range are “Mountains with bright Stones” with the discoveries of Hearne and Mackenzie shown in the Artic. A large lake occupies the space where the Great Salt Lake actually lies, and the headwaters of the Colorado, Rio Grande and Missouri rivers appear in close proximity to each other. The United States are confined east of the Mississippi, and 15 states are identified by reference to a list in the Atlantic Ocean.
Fascinating look at the early expansion of the United States. Fine impression on clean paper, lower margin close with the typical notch to facilitate folding seen in the lower right margin.
Shipped unmatted
