Extra Illustrated Example of Morse's Atlas of the United States.
With Fine Engraved United States Map Showing the Oregon Country
First edition of Sidney Morses's 1823 Atlas of the United States, extra illustrated with two additional maps not called for in the atlas.
Includes a double-page engraved map of the United States, and 10 full-page engraved state maps with accompanying letterpress index leaves, plus an additional two leaves covering Canada and the West Indies. These extra two maps were issued in Morse's A New Universal Atlas of the World, on an Improved Plan (published in 1825), and are a wonderful addition to the present United States atlas, expanding it's American content.
The map of the United States, is the first coast to coast map of the United States to appear in a commercial atlas (issued in the same year as Fielding Lucas) and shows the supposed river between Buenaventura and Bay of Francisco as the probable route of communication between the Atlantic and Pacific. Wheat praises this map:
This beautifully engraved map includes the Oregon country with the overly-long "Multnomah of Wallaumut" River and with no northern boundary shown. In 1825 the same map was included in A New Universal Atlas of the World, on an Improved Plan (New Haven, 1825).
The preface states that the atlas contains maps after Greenleaf, Melish, Tanner, and Munsell, among others. The state maps appear later in Morse's 1825 Universal Atlas, with some updates.
According to Rumsey, "This is the first edition (and perhaps the only edition). The title calls for ten maps, but there are actually 11 maps, one U.S. map and ten state maps..."
Contents
- United States
- Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont
- Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. With circular inset map of Boston.
- New York
- Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Wth circular inset map of Philadelphia and vicinity.
- Virginia Maryland and Delaware. With circular inset map of Baltimore.
- North Carolina South Carolina and Georgia. With circular inset map of Charleston and its Vicinity.
- Alabama Mississippi and Louisiana
- Kentucky and Tennessee
- Ohio and Indiana
- Illinois and Missouri
Additional maps:
- West Indies (on front pastedown) - with additional sheet "Index to West-Indies" tipped on to front free endpaper, facing the map.
- Canada (on final pastedown) - with additional sheet "Index to Canada" tipped on to back free endnaper, facing the map.
Rarity
This is the first extra-illustrated example of Morse's Atlas of the United States we have seen. Not in Phillips.