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Description

The Greatest of Philadelphia Pictorial Maps.

The Kite map is one of three historical city maps designed by Edwin Olsen and Blake Clark. The other two were of Boston and Washington DC, all inspired by the design of MacDonald Gill's Wonderground Map issued in 1914. 

At the lower center is an inset map presented in a scroll design showing the Sesqui Centennial International Exposition. The decorative border features illustrations of important places and events, with small inset maps at the four corners: New Sweden 1654; Penn's Plan 1682; Melish's Map 1816; Penn's Lots 1698.

The central map is adorned with images of important buildings and places and textual information. Occasional witty commentary together with the striking bird's eye view style design show the influence of Gill's 1914 map

The map notes:  "Let  Us Satisfy Our Eyes, I Pray You, With the Memorials and things of fame that do renown this city".

In 1926, Olsen and Clark produced three masterwork pictorial maps, of Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, D.C.

Hornsby (page 121) comments on the Olsen and Clark's Boston map:

Olsen and Clark's work owed much to MacDonald Gill's Wonderground map of 1914. The Boston map [and, presumably, the Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. maps], in turn, influenced several American pictorial mapmakers. The contrasting use of blue and yellow, with red for highlights, makes this one of the most striking of all pictorial maps.

Condition Description
Folding map. With the original pictorial envelope. Minor toning and wear to the envelope.
Reference
Rumsey 7948; see Hornsby, Picturing America, page 121.