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The item illustrated and described below is sold, but we have another example in stock. To view the example which is currently being offered for sale, click the "View Details" button below.
Description

Early state of Charles Desilver's map of the region west of the Misissippi River to west of the Rocky Mountains, the first atlas map published in the United States to focus on this region.

Desilver's mid-continent map is a remarkably unique work for the time period. The map is rich with early immigrant information, Indian details, forts, roads, Indian Treaty notes, early explorers routes, Indian Battle grounds, Indian Reservations, trading posts and a host of other excellent notes and feaures. The map actually has its own symbol for trading posts, a rare appearance on a map of the period.

The second state of the market can be recognized by the change from the Thomas Cowperthwait style "rope border" which was used from 1850 to early 1856, to Desliver's more decorative (and uncolored) border style, which is reminiscent of decorative border used by JH Colton. It can be distinguished from later states by the lack of Counties in Kansas and Nebraska and the failure to color the ocunties in Utah and New Mexico.

This map rarely appears on the market, as Desilver's atlas was not as widely distributed as others in the run and this format appears not to have been included in all additions.