"[Map and Report] Map of Explorations and Surveys in New Mexico and Utah Made Under the Direction of the Secretary of War... [with] Report of the Exploring Expedition from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the Junction of the Grand and Green Rivers…", U.S. Army
Subject: Southwestern United States
Period: 1860 (dated)
Color: Black & White
34.3 x 28.4 inches
87.1 x 72.1 cm
This rare, large map is considered by Wheat to be a landmark in the mapping of the region and "one of the most beautiful maps every published by the Army." According to Wheat there are several reasons for its importance. First, it is the first to show a trail to the junction of the Green and Grand Rivers. Second, he praises the map for its depiction of numerous routes of other explorers. Finally, it demonstrates the culmination of the process developed by Egloffstein to convey the idea of altitude. The process used a combination of extremely fine lines and applying acid to the plate for varying times, thus giving the map a remarkable 3-dimensional realism unmatched in the period. It is also the first to correctly establish the relationship between the San Juan and Colorado Rivers. The map covers Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and about 30% of Colorado.
The map is accompanied by Capt. Malcomb's "Report of the Exploring Expedition from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the Junction of the Grand and Green River", produced in 1859 but not issued until 1876 due to the Civil War. The report includes 22 plates (11 tissue-guarded chromolithographic landscape views, 3 b&w views, and 8 plates of fossil specimens). Color plates drawn by J. J. Young from field sketches provided by J. S. Newberry. Quarto, 152 pp., hardbound in brown cloth.
References: Wheat (TMW) #983.
Condition code is for the large folding map which has light toning along the folds and been backed with tissue to reinforce and repair numerous long fold separations. Plates are clean and bright and text is lightly toned. Hinges are starting and the spine has perished. Back cover is sunned near the spine.