This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/20/2022
[MAP]. –– [SINCLAIR, Thomas, lithographer]. Map of Mexico Showing the Seat of War. Philadelphia: T. Sinclair, ca. 1846. 12mo.
Engraved map with hand coloring (495 x 470 mm). (Loose with tear at outer margin). Encased in original gilt–lettered brown cloth folder. Provenance: F.G. Furber (early signature). FIRST EDITION. “Very rare map with no reference to it found in any of the normal bibliographies. The date is estimated. Proposed railway lines are shown to and from San Francisco to New Orleans and Napolian (sic). The map has been distorted severely with San Francisco much too far east. Napoleon, Arkansas, now defunct (why?), according to Baldwin and Thomas’ Gazetteer of 1854, was the capital of Desha County. It was situated on the Mississippi at the mouth of the Arkansas. The population was about 1,000 people, and steamboats ran three times a week to Little Rock. Why it was placed so prominently on the map is unknown. Perhaps it was vying to be a terminus for the railroad. Texas is shown at a highly detailed level” (Rumsey).
An interesting map also showing fanciful features including two railroad routes to San Francisco (one from New Orleans and the other from Napoleon), a mysterious battlefield west of Laredo and numerous other inaccuracies including a warped configuration of Texas and Western California. We could only locate 3 copies institutionally: Huntington Library (Wagner copy), Yale (Beinecke copy), and the Rumsey map collection at Stanford. Rumsey 5536; Not in Wheat or Phillips.