In a Fine Contemporary Red Morocco Binding
From a Distinguished Argentine Family
A beautiful copy of this compact world atlas by Aaron Arrowsmith, in a spectacular diced red morocco binding, with provenance of a major Argentine politician, diplomat and economist, Don Manuel José García Ferreyra (1784-1848), founder of the Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, and son of Colonel Pedro Andrés García de Sobrecasa, with whom he fought against the English invasions in 1806-1807.
Manuel José apparently gifted the atlas to his son, Manuel Rafael García Aguirre (1826-1887) (or perhaps vice-versa, the son originally gifted it to the father - see inscription below), who in turn gifted it to his teenaged son, Manuel José Julián García-Mansilla (1859-1910). The presentation inscription reads:
De Padres á hijos -- Querido Pepe. Conserva este recuerdo que tu padre dio al [suio?] Manuel R. Garcia May 10, 1876.
The atlas was first published in 1817.
Eight of the maps (including the two world maps) relate to the Americas:
The World.
The World on Mercator's Projection.
North America.
Canada.
United States. The United States map has an inset map of the Florida peninsula (labeled Continuation of Florida), as the Florida panhandle is shown in the main map.
Mexico. This map shows modern day western United States, including Texas (here part of the region labeled Louisiana), California (here labeled New Albion, with the Baja California peninsula called simply California), and the Pacific Coast of North America.
West Indies.
South America.
David Rumsey (5960) says of the atlas:
Although the maps are not large, they are dense with information. This complete atlas features index and 53 copperplate maps, drawn by Arrowsmith and engraved by Sidney Hall, with a few engraved by Thomson in collaboration with Hall. The maps include two world, 29 related to Europe and Scandinavia, 16 on Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and six related to the Americas. The United States map shows Georgia extending from the coast to the Mississippi River. The area west of the Mississippi is blank and labeled Louisiana. Engraved title page has Atlas holding the globe above two putti, one sailing a dingy, the other engaged in cartographic studies with a globe, map and dividers.
Rarity.
This edition of the Arrowsmith atlas is quite rare in the market, with only a single example (in a defective binding) recorded in RBH during the last forty years.
The Arrowsmiths were a cartographic dynasty which operated from the late-eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth. The family business was founded by Aaron Arrowsmith (1750-1823), who was renowned for carefully prepared and meticulously updated maps, globes, and charts. He created many maps that covered multiple sheets and which were massive in total size. His spare yet exacting style was recognized around the world and mapmakers from other countries, especially the young country of the United States, sought his maps and charts as exemplars for their own work.
Aaron Arrowsmith was born in County Durham in 1750. He came to London for work around 1770, where he found employment as a surveyor for the city’s mapmakers. By 1790, he had set up his own shop which specialized in general charts. Arrowsmith had five premises in his career, most of which were located on or near Soho Square, a neighborhood the led him to rub shoulders with the likes of Joseph Banks, the naturalist, and Matthew Flinders, the hydrographer.
Through his business ties and employment at the Hydrographic Office, Arrowsmith made other important relationships with Alexander Dalrymple, the Hudson’s Bay Company, and others entities. In 1810 he became Hydrographer to the Prince of Wales and, in 1820, Hydrographer to the King.
Aaron Arrowsmith died in 1823, whereby the business and title of Hydrographer to the King passed to his sons, Aaron and Samuel, and, later, his nephew, John. Aaron Jr. (1802-1854) was a founder member of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) and left the family business in 1832; instead, he enrolled at Oxford to study to become a minister. Samuel (1805-1839) joined Aaron as a partner in the business and they traded together until Aaron left for the ministry. Samuel died at age 34 in 1839; his brother presided over his funeral. The remaining stock and copper plates were bought at auction by John Arrowsmith, their cousin.
John (1790-1873) operated his own independent business after his uncle, Aaron Arrowsmith Sr., died. After 1839, John moved into the Soho premises of his uncle and cousins. John enjoyed considerable recognition in the geography and exploration community. Like Aaron Jr., John was a founder member of the RGS and would serve as its unofficial cartographer for 43 years. Several geographical features in Australia and Canada are named after him. He carried the title Hydrographer to Queen Victoria. He died in 1873 and the majority of his stock was eventually bought by Edward Stanford, who co-founded Stanford’s map shop, which is still open in Covent Garden, London today.