Cartographic Associates  

Historical Maps

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This particular Mitchell map of the federal city is in original colors depicting streets with an inset depicting the U.S. Capitol building as designed by Stephen Hallet (1793) as well as the Washington Monument as designed by Robert Mills of South Carolina and a view of the Smithsonian. Includes the street plan for Georgetown. Borders are embellished with typical Mitchell ornate scrolling. A few minor tears have been professionally repaired on verso with archival tape. Overall condition rating: very good. Offered framed in an ornate gold, under glass, doubled matted (non-ascitic board), size: 12.25" x 15.25" [excluding frame], overall condition: very good.$ 189. (Shipping/handling/ins. $16.50)

This very unusual hydrographic/topographic chart depicts the City of Washington with it’s street patterns as well as a very of the town of Alexandria, Virginia at the time of the Civil War. There is light foxing at the folds, a light patina tone overall, and two small tears near at the left side compass rose. Size: 25.50" x 41.2"; condition: good.$ 86. (Shipping/handling/ins. $ 7.50)

123.1 Ellicott Map of Washington, D.C. c1792

The Ellicott Map of Washington, D.C. is offered in very limited quantity. The map was the result of President Washington in 1791 asking Major Andrew Ellicott, a Quaker raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania with an education in surveying and mathematics; to complete the L’Enfant Plan of the Federal City. As the son of a prosperous miller, who had founded Ellicott Mills, Maryland in 1775; Ellicott began the task of completing L"Enfant’s drawings with the alignment of Massachusetts Avenue, i.e. elimination of five short radial avenues, added two short radial avenues southwest of the Capitol, and named the city streets.. Hydrography was added with soundings of the Potomac River (as seen on the left) and the Eastern Branch. In less than two months Ellicott had completed the plan and was ready to have it engraved. Shortly thereafter, Ellicott, like L’Enfant, found himself at odds with the Commissioners and resigned. The Ellicott Map had two engravings from the original manuscript. The first was sent to Boston and the second to Tachkara and Vallance of Philadelphia. James Thackara (1767-1848) and John Vallance (1770-1823) were Englishmen who established a partnership and were listed as "engravers" in the Philadelphia directory. It is this version we offer, completed in 1792 and is a direct impression from the original copperplate engraving. The engraving plate itself developed a crack in the late 1970's rendering it unsafe for further reproductions. There were believed to be only 300 impressions made before the plate was placed in the federal archives in Washington, D.C. The map is offered framed, double, non-ascitic, matte board in an antique ornate gold frame. The engraving is 23.0" x 30.0" (excluding frame), condition: Excellent, published by Tachkara & Vallance, Philadelphia $589. ($13.50 s/h/ins.)

120.93 Battlefields in Front of Nashville, c1864, U.S. Coast Survey

Field survey map depicting Union forces of Major General Geo. H. Thomas and Confederate forces under General Hood, December 15 - 16, 1864. Surveyed and drawn under the direction of General Tower, USA, field work by M. Peseux and C.S. Mergell of the U.S. Coast Survey. Map is in Very Good condition at a scale of 1:21,000, in color (troop locations), size (77 x 64cm) $225. ($5.50 Shipping/Handling & Insurance)

123.12 City of Washington, c1846, by Samuel Augustus Mitchell, Philadelphia

This particular Mitchell map of the federal city is in original colors depicting streets with an inset of the principal floor plan of the Capitol building as well as a Table of Reference. Borders are embellished with typical Mitchell ornate scrolling. A few minor tears have been professionally repaired on verso with archival tape. Overall condition is very good, measures 12.25" x 15.25".$ 165. ($5.50 shipping/handling/insurance)***SOLD***

82.1 Silk Maps, c1944 - 1952, Army Air Force / USAF

Escape and Evasion Cloth Maps

Most maps today are printed on good quality paper, but there were maps produced on cloth (or, textile cartography) dating back many centuries. The fabric map technique dates from the Han dynasty. In 1973-74 excavations near Mawangdui, in the province of Ch’ang-sha, China produced three maps drawn on silk. After careful restoration, it became clear that one of these maps (now known as the Garrison Map), had been prepared by cartographers to the king of Ch’ang-sha, whose kingdom was made up of modern Hunan and that the map was for military use sometime around 168BC. The maps we offer were first introduced by the British during World War II. The first maps during WWII were issued by M19 and based on existing maps of John Bartholomew, one of England’s most prominent map-makers. In addition to the British, the Australians and the United States began production of cloth maps. The Army Air Force (AAF) through the efforts of there Aeronautical Chart Service produced a series of the cloth maps on silk. One of the military uses of the silk maps was to have them included in the survival kits of allied pilots. There durability and foldability were ideal for downed pilots in enemy territory for escape and evasion needs. After WWII there continued to be a need for such a product as the Cold War escalated. The story of the WWII silk (fabric) maps has been difficult to piece together because of their conception and production was shrouded in secrecy during and after the war. The collection we offer of these unique examples of mapping differ slightly in size. All are printed on both sides with adjoining sections. Most of the full color maps have never been in circulation, except where noted. The following list indicates ones available: $56. Each ($3.50 Shipping/Handling & Insurance)

B-17 and crew of the 8th Air Force in England during World War II

82.08 Rostov/Khar’kov, USSR (M37/L37) scale 1:1,000,000; published by the British War Office, Geographical Section, London, 1948, 2^nd ed. 1952 (21.0" x 25.50")

82.09 Sinop/Ankara, Asia (J36/K36), scale 1:1,000,000; published by the British War Office, Geographical Section, London, 1944, 6^th ed 1951 (25.34" x 25.50")

82.10 Rasht/Baku, USSR (K39/J39), scale 1:1,000,000; published by the British War Office, Geographical Section, London, 1940 Survey of India, 1^st ed GSGS 1952 (24.0" x 25.0")

82.11 Central China / Himalayas (CL304/305), scale 1:2,000,000; published by the USAF, Aeronautical Chart Service, Washington, D.C., August 1951 (28.0" x 30.0") **Sold**