Lot Essay
The copper plates for the printing of maps and globe gores are very rare. This example dates from between Livingstone's return from Africa in 1856 and Russia's sale of Alaska to America in 1867.
Details
A 19th-Century copper plate for a world map,
undated, lettered GEOMETRICAL PROJECTION OF TWO THIRDS OF THE SPHERE BY COL SIR H. JAMES, R.E, F.R.S, M.R.I.A [London: ca.1860], inscribed with price details Price Two Shillings Plain Three Shillings Coloured, the equatorial graduated in degrees, the oceans with information such as Weddell's farthest 1823 (Antarctic), Parry's farthest 1827 (Arctic) and Collinson 1850 (Arctic), Alaska labelled RUSSIAN AMERICA, little Antarctic coastline shown, central Africa labelled UNEXPLORED and showing Livingstone 1856, various mountains and rivers shown, no national or state boundaries marked, the bottom left hand corner of the plate showing a diagram of the Projection of Central Meridian Section, the bottom right hand corner with a diagram for the Projection of Central Section -- 40in. (101.6cm.) x 27.1/8in. (69cm.)
undated, lettered GEOMETRICAL PROJECTION OF TWO THIRDS OF THE SPHERE BY COL SIR H. JAMES, R.E, F.R.S, M.R.I.A [London: ca.1860], inscribed with price details Price Two Shillings Plain Three Shillings Coloured, the equatorial graduated in degrees, the oceans with information such as Weddell's farthest 1823 (Antarctic), Parry's farthest 1827 (Arctic) and Collinson 1850 (Arctic), Alaska labelled RUSSIAN AMERICA, little Antarctic coastline shown, central Africa labelled UNEXPLORED and showing Livingstone 1856, various mountains and rivers shown, no national or state boundaries marked, the bottom left hand corner of the plate showing a diagram of the Projection of Central Meridian Section, the bottom right hand corner with a diagram for the Projection of Central Section -- 40in. (101.6cm.) x 27.1/8in. (69cm.)