1851 Tallis Map of Mexico, Texas & California

This is John Tallis's highly desirable 1851 Map of Mexico, Texas and Upper California. Herein Texas is depicted at its fullest extent including both Santa Fe and the Green Mountains. Upper California offers numerous interesting features, most specifically a colored and labeled Gold Region extending along the Sacramento River as far south as an oversized Lake Tule and Santa Cruz. The 'Great Caravan Route' used by covered wagons during the westward expansion is also noted. Offers several beautiful vignettes depicting the Ruins at Uxmal, Yucatan, panning gold in California, and Mexican Peasantry. Undated, but the defined gold regions allows us to identify this as the 1851 issued of Tallis's valuable map.

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...

Condition

Fine or perfect condition. Blank on verso.

References

Phillips, 804-71.; Rumsey, 0466.072.