1911 Wellge Bird's-Eye View of New York City

Henry Wellge (1850 – 1923) was an American panoramic bird's-eye view publisher, artist, and cartographer active in Milwaukee in the late 19th and early 20th century. Wellge was born in Germany in 1850. His first view, in 1878, was of Chilton Wisconsin, but most of his early work is in association with J. J. Stoner, another prolific view maker. Eventually established his own firm Henry Wellge and Company. Later his published and Norris, Wellge and Company. Ultimately though, most of his work appears under the imprint of the American Publishing Company. He continued to publish views until about 1910 with about 152 views bearing his imprint. Wellge is known for large dramatic views illustrated with emphasis on the horizontal dimension. More by this mapmaker...

Julius (Julien) Bien (September 27, 1826 - December 21, 1909) was a German-Jewish lithographer and engraver based in New York City. Bien was born in Naumburg, Germany. He was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts, Cassell and at Städel's Institute, Frankfurt-am-Main. Following the suppression of the anti-autocratic German Revolutions of 1848, Bien, who participated in the pan-German movement, found himself out of favor in his home country and joined the mass German immigration to the United States. Bien can be found in New York as early as 1849. He established the New York Lithographing, Engraving & Printing Company in New York that focused on the emergent chromo-lithograph process - a method of printing color using lithographic plates. His work drew the attention of the U.S. Government Printing Office which contracted him to produce countless government maps and surveys, including the Pacific Railroad Surveys, the census, numerous coast surveys, and various maps relating to the American Civil War. Bien also issued several atlases both privately and in conjunction with a relation, Joseph Bien. At the height of his career Bien was elected president of the American Lithographers Association. After his death in 1909, Bien's firm was taken over by his son who promptly ran it into insolvency. The firm was sold to Sheldon Franklin, who, as part of the deal, retained the right to publish under the Julius Bien imprint. In addition to his work as a printer, Bien was active in the New York German Jewish community. He was director of the New York Hebrew Technical Institute, the New York Hebrew Orphan Asylum, and president of the B'nai B'rith Order. Learn More...