Western Africa by John Tallis / J Rapkin

Code: 50495

Author: Rapkin, J (JOHN TALLIS)

Publisher: John Tallis

Date published: 1851

Steel engraving with original outline hand colouring augmented by exquisite later hand colouring of the border and vignettes. Overall size in hinged off white fully conservation mount and back (so floating freely apart from two pieces of archival tape) : 47.6cms x 41ms. Image size : 343mm x 253mm.inc publisher's imprint. Vignettes by H.Winkles, engraved by E.Radclyffe of, Christiansborg, Cape Coast Castle, Sierra Leone and Bakel. The Map Drawn & Engraved by J. Rapkin. Centrefold as issued; very good condition. The maps of the countries of the world published by Tallis are very finely engraved : over twenty different artists were employed in the making of the distinctive vignettes making them unusually decorative ; indeed this series is described as 'the last decorative series of maps'. John Rapkin (1813-1899) was a mapmaker, engraver, writing and ornamental engraver. He produced the maps for this famous series as well as the rare Tallis town plans. The son of a shoemaker, he had eight children and a successful business eventually named John Rapkin & Sons with four of his sons in business with him. He died aged 85 in 1899 (see Worms and Baynton Williams British Map Engravers) and the Rapkin firm survived until the 1970s.