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John Melish (1771-1822) was the most prominent American mapmaker of his generation, even though his cartographic career lasted only a decade. Melish was born in Scotland; he moved to the West Indies in 1798 and then to the United States in 1806. By 1811, he had settled in Philadelphia and published Travels through the United States of America, in the years 1806 & 1807, and 1809, 1810, & 1811, which was richly illustrated with maps.

Melish created several regional maps of the highest quality, as well as the Military & Topographical Atlas of the United States (Philadelphia, 1813, expanded 1815). The latter work is widely considered to be the finest cartographic publication to come out of the War of 1812.

By far his best-known work is his monumental map of the United States of 1816, Map of the United States with the contiguous British and Spanish Possessions. He began working on the map in 1815 and sent it to Thomas Jefferson for comment in 1816. Jefferson enthusiastically reviewed the map and returned it with his edits. Jefferson later hung an example of the map in the Entrance Hall of Monticello and sent it to associates in Europe.

Melish’s finished product was the first map of the United States to extend to the Pacific Ocean. After its publication in 1816, Melish ensured the map was as up-to-date as possible; it was reissued in 25 known states published between 1816 and 1823. The map captured the then rapidly changing geography of the United States, as well as various boundary disputes, treaties, and expansion.

Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
92462
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
21.5 x 17 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
95096
Place/Date:
Chillicothe / 1815
Size:
45 x 49.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
67728bm
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1813
Size:
18 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
66754
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1812
Size:
14.25 x 7.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
82367
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1812
Size:
14.5 x 8 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
85974

Archived

Place/Date:
New York / 1846
Size:
49 x 36 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
76625
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1829
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
47935
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1824
Size:
22 x 15.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
19411
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1823
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
6166
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1823
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
m0158
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1823
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
49905
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
6.5 x 4 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
36496
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
21.5 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
61493
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
21.5 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
68299
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822
Size:
4 x 6.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
78117
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822 circa
Size:
4 x 6.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
78118
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1822 circa
Size:
11.5 x 6 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
84492
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1821
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
m0443
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1821
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
m0444
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1821
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
16722
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1821
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
27676
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1821
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
36843
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
11565
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
6167
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21 x 17 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
8030
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
23095
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
64367
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1820
Size:
21.5 x 16.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
86612
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1819
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
19983
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
3841
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
m0282
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
31263
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45405
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
6.5 x 4.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51070
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1818
Size:
19.5 x 16.25 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
71524
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
15889
Place/Date:
Philadelphia / 1817
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
40950