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Augustus Koch's Only Virginia View -- Published in Savannah!
Rare large birdseye view of the area centered on Norfork and the Elizabeth River, published by famed American Birdseye View maker Augustus Koch.
This monumental view covers the area north to the James River and Hampton Roads and south to the waterfront harbors of Berkley and Portsmouth. The view highlights the waterfront commerce on the varus rivers, with rail infrastructure extending to the water in a number of different locations.
Railroad lines and streets are named, with a key locating 67 points of interest, most of which are waterfront businesses, mills, docks, wharves, factories, warehouses and government buildings.
Published by one of America's most prolific birdseye viewmakers, this is the second known example of the only Virginia view published by Augustus Koch, for whom Reps catalogues 110 known views, virtually of of which are for western, southern or plains cities. The map was printed and distributed by the Morning News Lith., Savannah, Georgia. In the same time period, Koch also published views of Savannah (1891) and Atlanta (1892), both of which were located in a single example according to Reps.
Rarity
Reps locates 1 example (Library of Congress), which bears a red intake stamp dated 1891, making it the example Koch deposited for copyright purposes prior to publication.
Augustus Koch (1840-?) was one of the most prolific American engravers of Birds Eye Views working outside of the major publishing centers. Koch initially served in the Union Army during the Civil War as a clerk and draughtsman in the Engineers Office in St. Louis. Although his English was poor, he was later commissioned as an officer and assigned to one of the Black regiments serving in Mississippi where he drew maps for the advancing Union forces. By 1865 he is thought to have contracted malaria and at 25, was discharged from the army.
By 1868, Koch had become an itinerant Bird's Eye View engraver. His earliest dated views are of Cedar Falls, Vinton, and Waterloo, Iowa. At that point his career seemed to take off and in rapid succession, maps by Koch were produced in every section of the country. In 1870 he produced 5 maps in Utah, Wyoming and California. In all, Koch produced over 100 views, including over 20 Texas Views, during a career of 30 years. His last recorded view was produced in Montana in 1898.
Reps notes that while Koch engraved fewer views than some of his contemporaries, "no American viewmaker traveled more widely in search of subjects. . . "
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