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Code: 53420
Author: Colton, G.W.
Date published: 1871
Long title: Northern America, British, Russian & Danish Possessions in North America. Steel engraved map with original hand colouring. Overall size: 44cms x 36cms; 435mm x 325mm. Centrefold as issued. Text on verso describing the Province of Canada - No.1. Highly decorative border. The hand colouring is in Colton's recognizable pink and greens depicting the two territories. One of the earliest separate maps of Alaska and the Northwest, along with the contiguous parts of the Pacific and Kantchatka Sea. Includes a number of early forts, mountains, rivers and early settlements. The area was ceded by Russia to the U.S. for $7,200,000 by treaty of 1867, negotiated by Secretary of State Seward (hence the early nickname of Alaska, ''Seward's Folly'') Some toning to borders and waterstain to left hand corner and margin else very good condition. George Woolworth Colton (1827 - 1901) was the son of Joseph Hutchins Colton (July 5, 1800 - July 29, 1893) who was an important American map and atlas publisher operating between 1833 to 1897. JH Colton recognized a gap in the market and published guides for immigrants and updated maps with decorative borders after purchasing the copyright from cartographers such as David H. Burr. His two sons worked in the business with him on the vast output of railroad maps, guides and several atlases. The non payment of the fee from Bolivia for a large quantity of maps of the country was financially disastrous for the company. The maps are characterised by their decorative spiral borders and vibrant contemporary hand colouring.