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<b>Bonhams:</b> MANDELSHTAM, OSIP. 1891-1938. Autograph Manuscript, 2 pp, [Petersburg,] January 1913, entitled

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Colonial and Revolutionary American Maps (and a few more) from Arader Galleries Original Color from Arader Galleries. By Michael Stillman This month we review our first catalogue from the Arader Galleries of New York (also Philadelphia, San Francisco and Houston). The galleries are those of W. Graham Arader III, a veteran of almost four decades in rare books and related fields. Among the items they offer are rare books, maps, prints and paintings. The level and quality of the pieces offered are the highest. This catalogue is titled Original Color, with the descriptive subheading "breathtaking maps with rarely seen full original color of the highest quality." This calls for a brief explanation of what constitutes "original color." In pre-19th century maps, color came from the hand-coloring of skilled artists, added to the black and white printing then available for maps. These maps required the ultimate in skill of "coloring within the lines," as the myriad boundaries, small islands, coves, and the like of geographical features required outstanding attention to detail, with little room for mistake by the artists assigned this task. However, when completed, these maps became works of art as well as the greatest source of geographical knowledge available. Now for a caution: as Arader notes, contemporary (colored at roughly the same time as the map was produced) coloring adds greatly to the value of these old maps. Indeed, many were offered in both colored and uncolored versions, the uncolored sold to those of more limited financial means. Unfortunately, this has at times led later owners to color old maps in hopes of making them more valuable. This is somewhat akin to reprinting an old book and attempting to pass it off as an original edition. Perhaps it is not quite so blatantly dishonest as printing a fraudulent copy, and there is no law against coloring your old map, but the implication in a colored antiquarian map is that the coloring is part of its original presentation. Of course, in this case it is not, and detracts from the map's value rather than adding to it. As Arader notes, "Later color, which obscures the original form of an antique map and compromises its value, can never match the beautiful patina that pigments take on over the centuries." All of the maps in this catalogue are enhanced with original color. There are maps from much of the world offered, including Europe, Asia and South America. However, the concentration is in North American maps. The dates are primarily from the American Revolutionary period or the years just preceding this time. The result is a valuable historic record of colonial America and the changes taking place during the second half of the 18th century. While describing maps is a virtually impossible endeavor, like attempting to describe a great painting, we will make a few feeble attempts so as to illustrate the type of material available herein. Prices are not given as they are not stated in the catalogue.
Colonial and Revolutionary American Maps (and a few more) from Arader Galleries Niagara Falls at the turn of the 18th century, with multitudes of beavers. John Andrews' A New Map of the British Colonies in North America, Shewing the Seat of the Present War, represents the end of an era. The date is 1781, which saw the fighting of the American Revolution end and the thirteen colonies effectively gain their independence. In the pre-independence days, there were more than thirteen colonies, as England's North American empire extended from Newfoundland to the Bahamas. The next generation of maps would now refer to thirteen of those colonies as the "United States." Here is a map that recorded the beginning of the era which closed after Andrews' map. This is A New Map, or Chart in Mercator's Projection of the Western or Atlantic Ocean, with Part of Europe, Africa and America. The date is 1763, and it marks the geographic changes resulting from the just concluded French and Indian War. Canada and the lands east of the Mississippi, were ceded to the British, while the land west of that river, also known as Louisiana, has been given to the Spanish. In a bit of honesty, the cartographer describes this area as "country not particularly known." The poor French were left with a few Caribbean islands and some fishing rights in Canada. However, New Orleans is still colored as French, an evident error by the artist who must have confused its French culture with legal possession. For those who collect the great explorer Captain Cook, A General Chart of the Island of Newfoundland is a great addition. In the days before James Cook began his momentous three voyages, he was sent to Canada to map the coast of Newfoundland. This was needed to determine where the French retained fishing rights. Cook completed his survey between 1763 and 1767, and gained much of his surveying skill during this project. This map was originally published in 1770, the year Cook left on his first voyage. This edition was published in 1775, and while it shows little of the interior of the island, it shows the coasts in great detail and as accurately as had been displayed at the time. The Russian Discoveries, from the Map Published by the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg, is a much revealing map with regards to geographic knowledge in the 18th century. Published in London in 1775, but based on Russian mapping, Russia, up to the Bering Strait, is shown in great detail, even the north coast. Once crossing the strait to America, the detail is replaced with undifferentiated, smooth coastline offering limited resemblance to what is really there. The north coast of North America in particular is very generalized, as this was unknown at the time. However, at least the Russians did not invent features as so many westerners did as they attempted to show a northwest passage, which they were convinced existed, though they had no evidence. A New and Exact Map of the Dominions of the King of Great Britain on Ye Continent of North America is neither new nor exact, but is still very good for its date - 1715. This was the first large-scale map to show English developments in North America. It also delineates boundaries between English and French territories as they existed prior to the French and Indian War. The map includes several insets, most notable, a drawing of Niagara Falls. This image is taken from Father Hennepin’s 17th century work on North America, except that some beavers have been added to the foreground, perhaps reflecting the importance of the beaver pelt trade of the era. The website for Arader Galleries may be found at www.aradergalleries.com, or you may call them at 215-735-8811, or write via email at info@aradergalleries.com.

Colonial and Revolutionary American Maps (and a few more) from Arader Galleries

Original Color from Arader Galleries.

By Michael Stillman

This month we review our first catalogue from the Arader Galleries of New York (also Philadelphia, San Francisco and Houston). The galleries are those of W. Graham Arader III, a veteran of almost four decades in rare books and related fields. Among the items they offer are rare books, maps, prints and paintings. The level and quality of the pieces offered are the highest.

This catalogue is titled Original Color, with the descriptive subheading "breathtaking maps with rarely seen full original color of the highest quality." This calls for a brief explanation of what constitutes "original color." In pre-19th century maps, color came from the hand-coloring of skilled artists, added to the black and white printing then available for maps. These maps required the ultimate in skill of "coloring within the lines," as the myriad boundaries, small islands, coves, and the like of geographical features required outstanding attention to detail, with little room for mistake by the artists assigned this task. However, when completed, these maps became works of art as well as the greatest source of geographical knowledge available.

Now for a caution: as Arader notes, contemporary (colored at roughly the same time as the map was produced) coloring adds greatly to the value of these old maps. Indeed, many were offered in both colored and uncolored versions, the uncolored sold to those of more limited financial means. Unfortunately, this has at times led later owners to color old maps in hopes of making them more valuable. This is somewhat akin to reprinting an old book and attempting to pass it off as an original edition. Perhaps it is not quite so blatantly dishonest as printing a fraudulent copy, and there is no law against coloring your old map, but the implication in a colored antiquarian map is that the coloring is part of its original presentation. Of course, in this case it is not, and detracts from the map's value rather than adding to it. As Arader notes, "Later color, which obscures the original form of an antique map and compromises its value, can never match the beautiful patina that pigments take on over the centuries." All of the maps in this catalogue are enhanced with original color.

There are maps from much of the world offered, including Europe, Asia and South America. However, the concentration is in North American maps. The dates are primarily from the American Revolutionary period or the years just preceding this time. The result is a valuable historic record of colonial America and the changes taking place during the second half of the 18th century. While describing maps is a virtually impossible endeavor, like attempting to describe a great painting, we will make a few feeble attempts so as to illustrate the type of material available herein. Prices are not given as they are not stated in the catalogue.

Colonial and Revolutionary American Maps (and a few more) from Arader Galleries

Niagara Falls at the turn of the 18th century, with multitudes of beavers.

John Andrews' A New Map of the British Colonies in North America, Shewing the Seat of the Present War, represents the end of an era. The date is 1781, which saw the fighting of the American Revolution end and the thirteen colonies effectively gain their independence. In the pre-independence days, there were more than thirteen colonies, as England's North American empire extended from Newfoundland to the Bahamas. The next generation of maps would now refer to thirteen of those colonies as the "United States."

Here is a map that recorded the beginning of the era which closed after Andrews' map. This is A New Map, or Chart in Mercator's Projection of the Western or Atlantic Ocean, with Part of Europe, Africa and America. The date is 1763, and it marks the geographic changes resulting from the just concluded French and Indian War. Canada and the lands east of the Mississippi, were ceded to the British, while the land west of that river, also known as Louisiana, has been given to the Spanish. In a bit of honesty, the cartographer describes this area as "country not particularly known." The poor French were left with a few Caribbean islands and some fishing rights in Canada. However, New Orleans is still colored as French, an evident error by the artist who must have confused its French culture with legal possession.

For those who collect the great explorer Captain Cook, A General Chart of the Island of Newfoundland is a great addition. In the days before James Cook began his momentous three voyages, he was sent to Canada to map the coast of Newfoundland. This was needed to determine where the French retained fishing rights. Cook completed his survey between 1763 and 1767, and gained much of his surveying skill during this project. This map was originally published in 1770, the year Cook left on his first voyage. This edition was published in 1775, and while it shows little of the interior of the island, it shows the coasts in great detail and as accurately as had been displayed at the time.

The Russian Discoveries, from the Map Published by the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg, is a much revealing map with regards to geographic knowledge in the 18th century. Published in London in 1775, but based on Russian mapping, Russia, up to the Bering Strait, is shown in great detail, even the north coast. Once crossing the strait to America, the detail is replaced with undifferentiated, smooth coastline offering limited resemblance to what is really there. The north coast of North America in particular is very generalized, as this was unknown at the time. However, at least the Russians did not invent features as so many westerners did as they attempted to show a northwest passage, which they were convinced existed, though they had no evidence.

A New and Exact Map of the Dominions of the King of Great Britain on Ye Continent of North America is neither new nor exact, but is still very good for its date - 1715. This was the first large-scale map to show English developments in North America. It also delineates boundaries between English and French territories as they existed prior to the French and Indian War. The map includes several insets, most notable, a drawing of Niagara Falls. This image is taken from Father Hennepin’s 17th century work on North America, except that some beavers have been added to the foreground, perhaps reflecting the importance of the beaver pelt trade of the era.

The website for Arader Galleries may be found at www.aradergalleries.com, or you may call them at 215-735-8811, or write via email at info@aradergalleries.com.