Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account
The item illustrated and described below is sold, but we have another example in stock. To view the example which is currently being offered for sale, click the "View Details" button below.
Description

Map of North America Showing Its Political Divisions, and Recent Discoveries in the Polar Regions is a wonderful historical map created by Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. and published in Philadelphia in 1863.

This map offers a comprehensive depiction of North America, including its political divisions at that time. The map provides detailed information about cities, rivers, mountains, forts, lakes, and more.

One of the significant features of this map is that it shows Dr. Elisha Kent Kane's route to the Arctic and his winter quarters in Greenland. Dr. Kane was a well-known American explorer, and his Arctic explorations had a significant impact on the geographical and scientific knowledge of the time.

Additionally, the map shows the latest discoveries in Russian America, including McClure's northwest passage aboard the Investigator. The journey of Robert McClure, an Irish explorer of the Arctic, was significant as it confirmed and completed the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

This map was constructed and engraved by W. Williams, which is an indicator of the quality and craftsmanship of the map. This map would serve as an important resource for studying the history and geography of North America during the mid-19th century.

Condition Description
Original hand-color.
Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. Biography

Samuel Augustus Mitchell Jr. inherited the Mitchell Company from his father in 1860. For over thirty years, the company had specialized in the production of school atlases and wall maps of America. They were one of the pioneers on engraving on steel plates. In 1860, Samuel Jr. released the New General Atlas, which had been compiled in house and replaced a previous atlas by Tanner. The elder Mitchell died in 1868 and Samuel Jr. continued the business until the 1890s. At its height, the Mitchell Company employed 250 people and sold 400,000 publications annually.