1960 Ernest Dudley Chase Pictorial Map of the Hawaiian Islands

One year after statehood - Hawaiian edition.

This is a scarce 1960 Ernest Dudley Chase pictorial map of Hawaii, a visually rich and educational celebration of the archipelago a year after statehood. This is one of the scarcer Chase maps, especially as here, in its Hawaiian Magazine Distributors edition.

A Closer Look

The map depicts the major Hawaiian Islands, featuring dense textual and pictorial elements that celebrate Hawaiian culture, history, folklore, and natural beauty. Volcanoes, lava flows, natural wonders, indigenous artifacts, regional activities (hunting, fishing, surfing), and important modern landmarks (airports, Mormon Temple, etc.) are illustrated pictorially. Surrounding the map are vignettes illustrating significant sites and aquatic fauna. To either side of the decorative cartouche, coordinate tables identify several hundred locations.

A New State

In 1960, Hawaii was still adjusting to its new status as the 50th state of the United States, having officially joined the Union in 1959. The islands were experiencing rapid growth and modernization as tourism flourished, spurred by the development of new hotels and infrastructure. This influx of visitors helped transform Hawaii's economy from one primarily based on agriculture - such as sugar and pineapple plantations - to one increasingly focused on tourism and services. The cultural landscape of Hawaii in 1960 was a vibrant blend of Native Hawaiian traditions and the influences of the many different ethnic groups that had settled in the islands over the years.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn and compiled by Ernest Dudley Chase from his offices in West Harwich, Massachusetts, and published in Honolulu, Hawaii, by Hawaiian Magazine Distributors. There are at least three variant editions, with none among the first three having clear primacy:

• Chase (Massachusetts): Yellow background.
• Riemann (Kihei, Maui, Hawaii): Uncolored background with red highlights.
• Hawaiian Magazine Distributors (Honolulu, Hawaii): Yellow background.
• Chase (Massachusetts): Monochrome.

Scarce, in its various editions, we see just 3 examples in OCLC.

Cartographer

Ernest Dudley Chase (July 26, 1878 - August 25, 1966) was an American illustrator of greeting cards and pictorial maps active in the first half of the 20th century. From his studio in Winchester, Massachusetts, Chase became famous for his elaborately illustrated pictorial maps. He was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, and attended the Lowell Textile School and the Vesper George Art School. He took work with Butterfield Printing Company in 1900. In 1906, he moved to the W. T. Sheehan Printing Firm. He began producing postcards and greeting cards on his own account in 1908. This initial imprint was Des Arts Publishers, but later, he changed it to Ernest Dudley Chase Publishers. Chase is best known today for his distinctive pictorial maps, most of which he published privately, characterized by dense vignette images of important locations. The biographical pamphlet A Meticulous Maker of Maps describes Chase's attention to detail wherein, pursuing a 'passion for perfection' by stippling his images 'dot-by-dot, with tiny pens' under a magnifying glass. His impressive corpus includes nearly 50 maps focusing on various parts of the United States and Europe, as well as other international locations and novelty pieces. Most are thematic, focusing on topics such as wonders of the world, stamps, aviation, and war. Others, such as his map of The United States as viewed by California and Loveland are satirical. All, in their original editions, are coveted by a dedicated following of modern collectors.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good. Slight wear on old fold lines.

References

Rumsey 12332.000. Hornsby, S. J., Picturing America: The Golden Age of Pictorial Maps, p. 31-34. OCLC 65470239.