1851 Tallis Map of Mexico, Texas, and California

Shows the California gold region and Texas at its largest.

An exceptional example of John Tallis and John Rapkin's highly desirable 1851 Map of Mexico, Texas, and Upper California. Herein Texas is depicted at its fullest extent including both Santa Fe and a northern extension encompassing the Green Mountains. Drawn at the height of the California Gold Rush, this map responds to the international interest in the region by highlighting the gold fields in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valley. The 'Great Caravan Route' used by covered wagons during the westward expansion is also noted. Tallis and Rapkin erroneously combine Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake - a curious and uncommon mistake that is most likely merely and engravers blunder. Upper California is surrounded by a green border, likely meant to communicate its transfer to the United States following the Treaty of Guadeloupe-Hidalgo, though such is not specifically noted anywhere on the map. Similarly, Texas, though clearly separated from Mexico is not clearly part of the United States. These omissions suggest that Tallis was reluctant to significantly update his map plates to reflect the changing political situation in the American Southwest. Offers several beautiful vignettes drawn by H. Warren and J. Rogers 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. Drawn by John Rapkin for issue in the 1851 edition of John Tallis' Illustrated Altas.

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. Orignal centerfold. Light toning.

References

Phillips (Alases) 804-71. Rumsey, 0466.072. Wheat, C., The Mapping of the Transmississippi West, 1540-1861, 737.