First Edition!
This is the first edition of Mitchell's New Universal Atlas, issued in 1846.
Despite being an atlas of the world, most of the atlas is concerned with the United States.
The atlas is a continuation of the work of H.S. Tanner and would continue with various publishers until the early 1860s, becoming the most important and enduring American Atlas of its period.
The map of Texas has several interesting details, including a printed note: "This tract of Country as far as North Canadian Fork was explored by Le Grand in 1833, it is naturally fertile, well wooded and with a fair proportion of water."
The map of Mexico and Guatemala shows Upper California encompassing parts of current day Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.
A list of the maps:
- World on a Globular Projection
- North America
- Canada East formerly Lower Canada [with an inset of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick]
- Canada West formerly Upper Canada [with an inset of Lake Superior]
- United States
- Maine
- New Hampshire and Vermont
- Massachusetts and Rhode Island [with an inset plan of Boston]
- Connecticut [with inset plans of Hartford and New Haven]
- New York
- New York City
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia
- Maryland and Delaware [with an inset plan of Baltimore]
- City of Washington [with inset floor plan of the Capitol building]
- Virginia
- North Carolina [with an inset maps of the Gold Region and New Bern, Neuse River and environs]
- South Carolina [with an inset map of Charleston]
- Georgia
- Florida [with inset maps of Pensacola, Tallahassee, and St. Augustine harbor]
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana [with an inset plan of New Orleans]
- Arkansas
- Tennessee [with inset maps of environs of Nashville and Knoxville]
- Kentucky [with insets maps of Falls of Ohio, Ohio River, and enivirons of Lexington]
- Ohio [with an inset plan of Cincinnati]
- Michigan [with an inset map of the Western Part of Michigan]
- Indiana
- Illinois [with an inset map of Lead Region]
- Missouri
- Wisconsin
- Iowa
- Texas [with an inset map of Northern Texas, north of the Red River]
- Mexico and Guatemala [with inset maps of Guatemala and the Valley of Mexico]
- West Indies
- South America
- Venezuela, New Granada & Ecuador [with inset plan of a Proposed Communication between the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans]
- Brazil and Paraguay [with inset maps of Paraguay and Environs of Rio Janeiro]
- Peru and Bolivia
- Chili, La Plata, and Uruguay [with an inset map of the south part of Patagonia]
- Europe
- England [with inset maps of Environs of Liverpool and London]
- Scotland [with inset map of the Shetland Isles]
- Ireland
- France [with inset maps of Paris and Corsica]
- Spain and Portugal [with inset map of Environs of Madrid]
- Holland and Belgium
- Germany
- Sweden and Norway
- Denmark
- Prussia [with inset map of Environs of Berlin]
- Kingdom of Sardinia [with inset map of Island of Sardinia]
- Switzerland
- Austrian Empire [with inset map of Enirons of Vienna]
- Italy (northern part)
- Kingdom of Naples or the Two Sicilies [with inset map of Environs of Naples]
- Turkey in Europe
- Russia in Europe
- Greece [with inset map of Candia]
- Asia [with sent map of Australia]
- Russia in Asia and Tartary
- Turkey in Asia [with inset map of Environs of Constantinople]
- Persia, Arabia, &c.
- Hindoostan [with an inset map of Delta of the Ganges]
- China
- Africa [with inset map of Liberia, with inset plan of Monrovia]
- Egypt
- Oceana, or Pacific Ocean [with inset of "Wilkes' Discoveries on a Reduced Scale"]
- Palestine [with inset map of Environs of Jerusalem]
- Heights of Mountains and Lengths of Rivers (bound in facing title page)
For over fifty years, Samuel Augustus Mitchell, his son, and his successors some of the most prominent publishers of maps and atlases in the United States. Samuel Augustus Mitchell Sr. was born in Bristol, Connecticut on March 20, 1792. His father had emigrated from Scotland in 1773. While little is known about his early schooling, it is known that Mitchell found the quality of early geography text books to be lacking, and determined that he would write and publish better works. This decision led him to relocate to Philadelphia in 1829 or 1830, which was then the center of commercial publishing in America.
Mitchell’s first cartographic work was the re-issue of Anthony Finley’s New American Atlas in 1831, a work first issued by Finley in 1826, in response to Henry Schenk Tanner’s monumental work of the same title, issued in serial format from 1818 to 1822 and as a complete work from 1823 onward. While the map content in Mitchell’s edition of the New American Atlas is the same as Finley’s edition, each map has been significantly improved and revised, primarily with the addition of new towns and roads. This is especially true in the south and west. Finley had originally collaborated with D.H. Vance and J.H. Young in the preparation of the maps, although Vance’s name is removed from the Mitchell edition. Mitchell continued to work with Young, an association which would continue for several decades.
Following publication of the New American Atlas, Mitchell began issuing the individual maps in pocket map format. From 1834, Mitchell began offering reduced sized Tourist Pocket Maps of a number of states in the United States. J.H. Young and D. Haines are listed as the engravers on these maps. In 1832, Mitchell offered the first edition of his Travellers Guide Through the United States, A Map of the Roads, Distances, Steam Boat & Canal Routes &c. By J.H. Young . . ., which would become one of his most popular and enduring works. The map of the United States was done by steel engraving, one of the earliest uses of the technique in map publishing in America. In the same year, the first edition of Mitchell’s Map of the United States, by J.H. Young was issued, bearing the copyright date of October 10, 1831. This map would be revised and issued until 1844. Young also compiled A New Map of the United States in 1833. These two wall maps would come to dominate the market and their success led to several later US wall maps issued by Mitchell. This second map was also issued under the title of Mitchell’s Reference and Distance Map of the United States, which was printed until 1851.
Mitchell was neither a cartographer nor an engraver. His primary function was as the editor and business manager of his publishing company, with Young working as the primary maker of maps. Beginning in 1839, Mitchell also began publication of his school atlas. This work and variant editions for older and younger students, was issued by Mitchell and his successors from 1839 to 1886. In 1845, Mitchell acquired the rights to Henry Schenk Tanner’s New Universal Atlas from Carey & Hart, which had previously acquired the copyright from Tanner and had published editions of 1843 and 1844. Mitchell changed many of the maps and issued two editions of the atlas in 1846. He changed the copperplates to lithography, utilizing Peter S. Duval in Philadelphia to produce the stones. Mitchell re-issued the atlas at least annually until 1850, when he sold the rights to the work to Thomas, Cowperthwait & Company.
In 1860, Mitchell’s son, Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. began issuing Mitchell’s New General Atlas. While his father had continued to issue wall maps and other works, this appears to be his son’s first entry into the trade. The New General Atlas was issued by SA Mitchell Jr. until 1887. From 1880 to 1887, Bradley & Company also published the atlas. Various other minor publishers, including A.R. Keller, produced editions as late as 1894. The elder Mitchell died in 1868. Samuel Jr. continued the business until the 1890s. At its height, the Mitchell Company employed 250 people and sold 400,000 publications annually.