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Rare map of the northern celestial sky, from a early American celestial atlas, almost certainly the first American atlas
The celestial plates are based on Johann Elert Bode's Uranographia. Indeed, the plates were "...faithfully reduced from those in the last edition of the magnificent Atlas of Bode, published in Germany a few years since, the extent and accuracy of which are known to every one familiar with the subject."
According to Stauffer (American Engravers):
The name of P. E. Hamm, “engraver,” appears in the Philadelphia directories for 1825-27, inclusive; until 1839 the same name and address are given, with “coal- dealer” as the occupation; and in 1840-45 Phineas E. Hamm was the assistant city treasurer of Philadelphia. The engraved work so signed is usually in line, though he executed a few good portraits in stipple.
Rarity
The atlas and individual maps rare in the market.
Only three examples of the atlas on RBH in the last forty years. Not in Rink, Technical Americana. Not in Bennett, American Nineteenth Century Colorplate Books.
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.
