1851 Tallis and Rapkin Map of Central America

Intricately engraved map of Central America featuring three incredible vignettes.

This is a highly decorative 1851 map of Central America by John Tallis and John Rapkin. The map depicts from southern Mexico and the Yucatan peninsula south to extreme northern Costa Rica. Mexico, Belize (Belise), Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador (Salvador), Nicaragua, and Costa Rica are labeled, as well as both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and numerous islands along the Atlantic coast. Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Central America, is depicted. Three beautiful vignettes are included. Two of the vignettes, located in the lower left corner, depict the volcano of Izalco (Isalco), which is in El Salvador and the Great Square of the Antigua in Guatemala. The vignette in the upper right corner presents a scene from Belize (Belise). The vignette illustrates a scene in a bay, troubled by rough seas. Several boats, including a row boat with two people in it, and four sail boats, are in the bay making their way toward the safety of the harbor. Two large sailing ships are already moored along the coastline, which is very lush and several buildings are depicted. The map is surrounded by a vine motif border.

The map was engraved by John Rapkin and the illustrations were drawn by Henry Winkles and engraved by G.R. Manwaring for John Tallis's 1851 Illustrated Atlas.

Cartographer

John Tallis (November 7, 1817 - June 3, 1876) was an English map publisher and bookseller. Born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, he worked in his father's Birmingham agency from 1836 to 1842. Around 1838, Tallis published a collection of London Street Views and entered into a partnership with his brother Frederick Tallis from 1842 to 1849. Tallis and Company also published the Illustrated Atlas of the World (1849). Also in 1849, Tallis traveled to New York City, where he established agencies in 6 American cities. After returning from New York, Tallis paid his brother £10,000 for his share of the business and subsequently operated as John Tallis and Company until 1854. By 1853, John Tallis and Company had agencies in 26 cities in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada and employed over 500 people. On February 24, 1854, Tallis brought on a new partner, Ephraim Tipton Brain (1791 - 1876), forming the London Printing and Publishing Company. After a series of setbacks, however, Tallis had to sell his estate and by 1861 was declared bankrupt. Friends and former employees kept him afloat, but none of his 'various ambitious projects' proved lucrative. Tallis married Jane Ball on December 6, 1836, in Birmingham, and they lived together until she died in 1862. Tallis remarried on June 27, 1863, to Mary Stephens, with whom he had two children.   Further Details...

Source

Tallis, J., The Illustrated Atlas, And Modern History Of The World Geographical, Political, Commercial & Statistical, 1851.    

Condition

Very good. Blank on verso.

References

Rumsey 0466.073. OCLC 699498757.