From The First American Celestial Atlas
This celestial map is featured in Anthony Finley's rare American Atlas, widely recognized as one of the first American atlases to include hand-colored astronomical charts. Finley’s atlas, which mirrors the celestial positions and constellations detailed in Johann Elert Bode's Uranographia, represents an important milestone in early American cartography.
The map prominently features the constellation Lynx, a faint yet sprawling constellation introduced by Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. Its appearance here is characterized by its feline shape, stretching across the northern sky. Positioned near Lynx is the constellation Auriga, represented as a charioteer holding a goat, with the star Capella—one of the brightest in the sky—serving as its focal point.
Notably, the map also depicts the Via Lactea (Milky Way), rendered as a faint, cloud-like band stretching across the starry expanse. This feature reflects the intricate knowledge of the era’s astronomers, capturing the collective effort to chart and understand the night sky. The lesser-known constellation Telescopium Herschelii, named after the celebrated astronomer William Herschel, also makes an appearance, showcasing the diversity of celestial objects that were of interest during the early 19th century.
Each constellation is meticulously illustrated in a style that balances scientific accuracy with artistic flourish. Finley’s map, with its blend of Bode’s astronomical data and American craftsmanship, stands as an emblem of the growing interest in celestial studies in the United States during this period.
Rarity
This map is exceedingly rare in the market, with few examples having appeared for sale. This is the first copy we have offered.
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Anthony Finley (1784-1836) was an American map publisher. Little is known about his life. He is presumed to have been born in Philadelphia, where he also died. A publisher, Finley was also involved in several Philadelphia civic and professional societies such as the Philadelphia Apprentices’ Library. He may have been in business as early as 1809 and his first publication dates from ca. 1811.
His first maps also date from this year, with two maps in Daniel Edward Clarke’s Travels in Various Countries of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The first atlas published by Finley appeared in 1818, the Atlas classica, or, Select maps of ancient geography, both sacred and profane, for the use of colleges and schools in the United States. He is best known for his A New General Atlas Comprising a Complete Set of Maps (1824), which was a bestseller. There were two editions in 1824, with annual editions until 1834.
Finley was part of the first generation of American publishers who produced high quality, precise maps on American soil. He was in competition with other Philadelphia publishers, for example Henry S. Tanner. Finley’s A New American Atlas Designed Principally to Illustrate the Geography of the United States of America (1826) closely mirrors Tanner’s A New American Atlas Containing Maps of the Several States of the North American Union, with similar groupings of maps; the main difference is the smaller scale of Finley’s maps. Finley printed two editions of this atlas.