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1819 (1822) Henry Schenk Tanner
$ 2,200.00
Description

An Important Early American Map

A nice example of this important early map of Indiana and Ohio, published by Henry Schenk Tanner.

The map is one of the earliest printed maps to show the state of Indiana, which had only become a state on December 11, 1816.

The present example is the first state of the map, pre-dating the Indian Boundary in the Northwest part of Indiana. Its inclusion of Randolph County, Indiana, suggesting that it was completed in or after August 1818, when Randolph County was first created, but before January 1, 1819, when Owen County was created from the Northern Part of Sullivan County, Indiana. The second state was completed in May, 1822, shortly after the addition of Rush, and Henry Counties, but before Putman County's shape was revised in December 1822. The third state adds a number of new counties, including Randolph County, the first to extend as far north as the Maumee River.

There are two northern boundaries of Indiana shown. A note indicates that boats may pass from Lake Michigan to the Au Plain River at high tide, near Ft. Dearborn, which is connected to Ft. Wayne by a road. Many Indian settlements shown in the north. While the county system in Ohio is more complete, there are still many signs of earlier days, including notes of British & American Forts and Indian Villages. Extensive notes on roads, rivers and many other features. An essential map for Midwest collectors.

Tanner's American Atlas

Henry Schenk Tanner commenced production of his most ambitious project, his American Atlas, in 1818. The project was undertaken with partners by subscription. As maps became available, they were issued in folios, with the intention that they would later be bound together to make up a full atlas.

Released in 5 folios between 1819 and 1823, the American Atlas is widely regarded as the single most beautiful large scale atlas published in America and was a vast leap forward in terms of the quality of the paper and engraving. The maps are large, detailed and elegantly engraved. The cost and delays in production resulted in the split of Tanner from his partners Kearny & Vallance, but resulted in the greatest of all American Atlases.

The map is still dated May 24th, 1819, and bearing the Tanner, Vallance & Kearney names. The map includes a number of annotations, some of which include attributions to earlier sources. This vividly colored example is richly annotated throughout the map with various regional details on various rivers, roads and other local features. The Northern half of Indiana still lacks counties.

Condition Description
Mat toning at the edges. Somewhat faded. Otherwise Very Good.