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From The First American Celestial Atlas
This celestial map appeared in Anthony Finley's rare American celestial atlas, which holds the distinction of being almost certainly the first American atlas featuring hand-colored astronomical charts. Finley's work reflects celestial positions and constellations as detailed in Johann Elert Bode's renowned Uranographia.
The celestial map prominently features several key constellations. Among them are Boötes, the herdsman, known for its bright star Arcturus, one of the most luminous stars in the night sky. Nearby is Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown, a semicircular arrangement of stars representing a jeweled crown, often associated with the myth of Ariadne. Canes Venatici, the hunting dogs, accompany Boötes, depicted as two stars representing his loyal companions chasing the Great Bear (Ursa Major). Another constellation is Coma Berenices, symbolizing the hair of Queen Berenice II of Egypt, a delicate cluster of faint stars known for its association with rich star fields and deep-sky objects. Each constellation is carefully rendered, showcasing the astronomical understanding and artistic style of the era, with attention to both mythological significance and celestial positioning.
Rarity
The map is rare on the market. This is the first example we have offered for sale.
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.
![[Virgo]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/79551.jpg)
