Description
Early copy of the Taylor-Roberts plan of New York, engraved by James McComb Jr., which appeared in Valentine's Manual for 1853.
The Taylor-Roberts plan is the second highly detailed large scale map of New York City published after the American Revolution, following by one year, Peter Maverick's plan of circa 1796. The Taylor-Roberts is a considerable step forward, showing important developments of the time, in particular the development of Stuyvesant family lands north of Grand Street.
In American Geographers, 1784-1812 (p.128), the map is described as:
One of the most accurate and beautiful engraved plans of the city, and particularly interesting on account of its tiny bird's-eye views of some of the most important buildings, as well as for the clear idea which it gives of the country lying along the East River in the vicinity of Crown Point (citing Ristow, 247-249).
The Taylor-Roberts plan is virtually unobtainable, making this early copy the only reasonably obtainable early example of the map available to collectors.