OREGON WASHINGTON IDAHO USA 1876 COLTON OVERSIZE UNUSUAL ANTIQUE LITHOGRAPHICMAP

Colton's Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Description: Striking and highly detailed fine unusual 1876 large-format Colton's map showcasing the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, United States.
 
Composition and Medium:
 
The map is a colored engraving, typical of the period, with hand-colored boundaries to differentiate political divisions. The colors—likely pastels such as pink, green, and yellow—are used to clearly delineate state and territorial boundaries, enhancing the map's readability and visual appeal.
 
Style and Features:
 
The map features intricate border designs, which were common in the decorative cartographic style of the era. The title is prominently displayed in an ornate font, adding to the map's aesthetic appeal. The map includes detailed geographical information such as rivers, mountain ranges, and significant towns or settlements, which are labeled in a clear serif typeface.
 
Subject Matter and Details:
 
The map covers the Northwestern United States, specifically the regions that are now the states of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Significant landmarks include the depiction of major rivers like the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Mountain ranges such as the Cascades are illustrated, providing insight into the region's topography.
 
Cultural and Historical Context:
 
During the late 19th century, this region was undergoing significant development and settlement. The map reflects the territorial boundaries and settlements of the time, which are essential for understanding the historical context of westward expansion in the United States. Railroads, which were crucial for transportation and economic development, are likely indicated, although not explicitly labeled.
 
Notable Inscriptions and Features:
 
Inscriptions on the map include the names of states and major towns. The scale of the map is 1:2,100,000, providing a detailed view of the region. The engravers credited are J.H. Colton, F.A. Chapman, and C. Wise, indicating a collaborative effort in its production.
 
Publication Information:
 
This map is part of a larger atlas, consisting of 109 maps, showcasing a comprehensive collection of geographical information from the period.
 
In summary, "Colton's Oregon, Washington and Idaho" map serves as a valuable historical document, providing insights into the geography, political boundaries, and development of the Northwestern United States during the late 19th century. Its detailed composition, decorative style, and the context of its creation reflect the era's cartographic practices and the growing interest in mapping the expanding American frontier.
 
Pub Title: Colton's General Atlas Of The World, Containing Two Hundred And Twelve Maps And Plans, On One Hundred And Forty-Two Imperial Folio Sheets, Drawn By G. Woolworth Colton. Accompanied By Geographical, Statistical, And Historical Letter-Press Descriptions. New York: G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co., No. 172 William Street. 1880. Entered ... 1876, By G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co. ... Washington.

Date: 1876 ( undated ) 

Dimension: Paper size approx.: cm 71,1 x 44,3

Condition: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Map old original colored. Small foxing and browning. Small tears. Map folded. Conditions are as you can see in the images.

Mapmaker: Joseph Hutchins Colton (July 5, 1800 - July 29, 1893), often publishing as J. H. Colton, was an important American map and atlas publisher active from 1833 to 1897. Colton's firm arose from humble beginnings when he moved to New York in 1831 and befriended the established engraver Samuel Stiles. He worked under Stiles as the 'Co.' in Stiles and Co. from 1833 to 1836. Colton quickly recognized an emerging market in railroad maps and immigrant guides. Not a cartographer or engraver himself, Colton's initial business practice mostly involved purchasing the copyrights of other cartographers, most notably David H. Burr, and reissuing them with updated engraving and border work. His first maps, produced in 1833, were based on earlier Burr maps and depicted New York State and New York City. Between 1833 and 1855 Colton would proceed to publish a large corpus of guidebooks and railroad maps which proved popular. In the early 1850s Colton brought his two sons, George Woolworth Colton (1827 - 1901) and Charles B. Colton (1832 - 1916), into the map business. G. W. Colton, trained as a cartographer and engraver, was particularly inspired by the idea of creating a large and detailed world atlas to compete established European firms for the U.S. market. In 1855, G.W. Colton issued volume one the impressive two volume Colton's Atlas of the World. Volume two followed a year later. Possibly because of the expense of purchasing a two-volume atlas set, the sales of the Atlas of the World did not meet Colton's expectations and so, in 1856, the firm also issued the atlas as a single volume. The maps contained in this superb work were all original engravings and most bear an 1855 copyright. All of the maps were surrounded by an attractive spiral motif border that would become a hallmark of Colton's atlas maps well into the 1880s. In 1857, the slightly smaller Colton's General Atlas replaced the Atlas of the World, which lacked the border. Most early editions of the General Atlas published from 1857 to 1859 do not have the trademark Colton spiral border, which was removed to allow the maps to fit into a smaller format volume. Their customers must have missed the border because it was reinstated in 1860 and remained in all subsequent publications of the atlas. There were also darker times ahead, in 1858 Colton was commissioned at sum of 25,000 USD by the government of Bolivia to produce and deliver 10,000 copies a large format map of that country. Although Colton completed the contract in good faith, delivering the maps at his own expense, he was never paid by Bolivia, which was at the time in the midst of a series national revolutions. Colton would spend the remainder of his days fighting with the Bolivian and Peruvian governments over this payment and in the end, after a congressional intervention, received as much as 100,000 USD in compensation. Nonetheless, at the time it must have been a disastrous blow. J. H. Colton and Company is listed as one of New York's failed companies in the postal record of 1859. It must have been this that led Colton into the arms of Alvin Jewett Johnson and Ross C. Browning. The 1859 edition of Colton's General Atlas lists Johnson and Browning as the 'Successor's to J. H. Colton' suggesting an outright buyout, but given that both companies continued to publish separately, the reality is likely more complex. Whatever the case may have been, this arrangement gave Johnson and Browning access to many of Colton's map plates and gave birth to Johnson's New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas. The Johnson's Atlas was published parallel to Colton's atlas well in to the 1880s. The Colton firm itself subsequently published several other atlases including an Atlas of America, the Illustrated Cabinet Atlas, the Octavo Atlas of the Union, and Colton's Quarto Atlas of the World. They also published a large corpus of wall maps, pocket maps, and guides. The last known publications of the Colton firm date to 1897 and include a map and a view, both issued in association with the Merchant's Association of New York. Alice M. Colton married August R. Ohman (May 3, 1859 - April 22, 1934) on January 5, 1897. In 1898, Ohman joined the Colton firm, which continued to publish as Colton, Ohman & Co. until 1901.