1850 Tallis Maps of the Mountains, Rivers, Waterfalls & Islands of the Western Hemisphere (America)

This is Tallis's c. 1850 chart of comparative geographic features for the Western Hemisphere. Shows the islands of New Zealand, Cuba, Iceland etc., the Great Lakes and others, the rivers Mississippi, St Lawrence and Amazon and the mountains with the highest given as Nevada de Sorata, South America. This particular chart was likely not issued with Tallis' Illustrated Atlas. Given its double fold lines, it is safe to assume that this map was issued to illustrate a book or other text. This chart was designed and engraved by J. Rapkin. Published by the John Tallis & Company, London & New York in 1850.

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

Very Good condition. Original fold lines. Blank on verso.

References

Rumsey 0466.002. Phillips 804.