1851 Tallis and Rapkin Map of Van Diemen's Land or Tasmania

An impressive 1851 Tallis map of Van Diemen's Island or Tasmania. The map covers the entire island of Tasmania in considerable detail noting towns, lakes, mountain ranges and other topographical features. Van Diemen's Land was colonized by the British as a Penal Colony under the name 'Van Diemen's Land,' referring to the Dutch East India Company governor who sponsored Tasman's historic 1642 discovery of the island. In 1856, five years after this map was issued, Van Diemen's Land would be granted responsible self-government and renamed 'Tasmania.' This map includes illustrations by H. Warren of Hobart Town, a Tasmania dog and the residence of the Van Diemen Land Company's Agent. The whole has the highly decorative presentation and elaborate border distinctive of Tallis maps. This map was issued as part of the 1851 edition of John Tallis and Company's The Illustrated Atlas, And Modern History of the World.

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. and F., The Illustrated Atlas, And Modern History Of The World Geographical, Political, Commercial & Statistical, 1851.    

Condition

Very good. Original centerfold exhibits minor wear. Blank on verso.

References

Rumsey 0466.056. Phillips (Atlases) 804.