WEST INDIES 1851 TALLIS & RAPKIN UNUSUAL ANTIQUE ORIGINAL STEEL ENGRAVED MAP

West India Islands.

Description: Striking and highly detailed fine unusual steel engraved map of the Caribbean or West Indies. The map depicts the region from Cuba and the Caribbean coast of Central America to Barbados and from southern Florida to Colombia and the mouth of the Orinoco River. Each of the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles are labeled, including Cuba, Santo Domingo (Hispaniola / Hayti), Puerto Rico (Porto Rico), the Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and St. Lucia. The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands are also illustrated and stretch from Florida to Santo Domingo. Highly detailed, myriad locations throughout the region are labeled, particularly along the coastlines of Cuba, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica. Small islands along the coast of Central America are also identified. A view of Kingston, Jamaica, is situated in the upper-right corner, along with a vignette of two Islanders. A vignette included in the Caribbean Sea depicts numerous large sailing ships with three masts, possibly ships-of-the-line, sailing toward an island.
 
Composition and Medium:
 
This work is a hand-colored engraving, a common medium for maps of this period, which allowed for intricate detailing and vibrant presentation. The map features outline coloring, highlighting the geographical boundaries of different islands, enhancing visual clarity, and aiding in differentiation.
 
Style and Decorative Elements:
 
The map is surrounded by an ornate decorative border, a hallmark of Tallis maps, adding an artistic flourish that is both aesthetic and indicative of the period’s cartographic style. The embellishments include vignettes—small illustrative scenes that provide cultural and geographic context. The decorative elements serve not just as borders but as a gateway to the world depicted within.
 
Subject Matter:
 
The map covers the Caribbean region, illustrating major islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, along with other smaller islands. The representation includes both natural and human-made features, with an emphasis on coastal outlines and significant settlements, such as Kingstown in Jamaica.
 
Notable Features:
 
1. Vignettes and Illustrations:
 
- The map includes vignettes of Kingston, Jamaica, and scenes depicting local islanders. These illustrations provide a glimpse into the cultural and social aspects of the region during the 19th century.
 
- A ship illustration in the Caribbean Sea hints at the maritime significance of the area.
 
2. Inscriptions and Labels:
 
- Various inscriptions denote the names of islands and settlements, providing geographical context.
 
- The decorative title "WEST INDIA ISLANDS" is prominently featured at the top of the map.
 
3. Scale and Orientation:
- The map is drawn to a scale of 1:9,100,000, offering a broad overview of the region rather than detailed local geography.
 
Cultural and Historical Context:
 
Produced in the mid-19th century, this map reflects the colonial interests and navigational needs of European powers. The Caribbean was a crucial region for trade routes, especially for goods like sugar, rum, and coffee, which were central to the colonial economies. The presence of detailed illustrations and a focus on certain islands suggests a European audience interested in both exploration and the economic potential of the region.
 
Publication Context:
 
This map is part of an atlas published by J. & F. Tallis, known for their detailed and ornate maps. The atlas itself, a world atlas type, contains 82 maps, emphasizing a global perspective. The inclusion of this Caribbean map highlights the region's importance during this era. The atlas was bound in a luxurious manner, with half leather and marbled paper, reflecting its status as a valuable reference work.
 
Conclusion:
 
The "West India Islands" map by Rapkin, Warren, and Rogers is a rich historical document that combines cartographic precision with artistic embellishment. It serves as a window into the mid-19th century Caribbean, reflecting both the geographic knowledge and the cultural perspectives of the time. Its inclusion in an atlas by J. & F. Tallis underscores the significance of the region in the global context of exploration, trade, and colonial interests. 

Date: 1851 ( undated )

Dimension: Paper size approx.: cm 36,8 x 27,2

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

Mapmaker: John Tallis (November 7, 1817 - June 3, 1876) was an English map publisher and bookseller. Born in Stourbridge in Worcestershire, worked in his father's Birmingham agency from 1836 until 1842. Roughly in 1838, Tallis published a collection of London Street Views, and entered into a partnership with his brother Frederick Tallis from 1842 - 1849. Tallis and Company also published the Illustrated Atlas of the World in 1849. Also in 1849, Tallis traveled to New York City where he founded publishing agencies in six American cities. Upon returning from New York, Tallis paid his brother £10,000 for his share of the business, and operated from then on as John Tallis and Company until 1854. By 1853, John Tallis and Company had agencies in twenty-six cities in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada and employed over 500 people. By the end of 1853, Tallis had made the decision to share the burden of running such an extensive company and formed the London Printing and Publishing Company on February 24, 1854, becoming co-managing director with Ephraim Tipton Brain. After a series of setbacks, however, Tallis had to sell his estate and by 1861 was declared bankrupt. He was kept afloat by the kindness of friends and former employees, but none of his 'various ambitious projects' ever worked out for the rest of his life. Tallis married Jane Ball on December 6, 1836 in Birmingham, with whom he lived until her death in 1862. Tallis remarried on June 27, 1863 to Mary Stephens, with whom he had two children.

John Tallis and Company published views, maps and Atlases in London from roughly 1838 to 1851. The principal works, expanding upon the earlier works of Cary and Arrowsmith, include an 1838 collection of London Street Views and the 1849 Illustrated Atlas of the World. His principle engraver was John Rapkin, whose name and decorative vignettes appear on most Tallis & Co. maps. Due to the decorative style of Rapkin's work, many regard Tallis maps as the last bastion of English decorative cartography in the 19th century. Though most Tallis maps were originally issued uncolored, it was not uncommon for 19th century libraries to commission colorists to "complete" the atlas. The London Printing and publishing Company of London and New York bought the rights for many Tallis maps in 1850 and continued Publishing his Illustrated Atlas of the World until the mid 1850s. Specific Tallis maps later appeared in innumerable mid to late 19th century publications as illustrations and appendices.
 
John Rapkin (July 18, 1813 - June 20, 1899) was an English mapmaker and engraver. Born in Southwark, Rapkin was the son of George Rapkin, a shoemaker, and his wife Elizabeth Harfy. Rapkin and his brother Richard both became engravers and his other brother, William Harfy Rapkin, became a copperplate printer. Rapkin produced works for James Wyld and John Tallis, including The United States and the relative position of Oregon and Texas for Wyld around 1845, and a series of eighty maps for Tallis that became 'Tallis's illustrated atlas, and modern history of the world' in 1851. Rapkin married Frances Wilmot Rudell on January 4, 1837, with whom he had at least eight children, some of whom became engravers, including his sons John Benjamin Rapkin (1837 - 1914), Alfred Thomas Rapkin (1841 - 1905), Joseph Clarke Rapkin (1846? - 1912), and Frederick William Rapkin (1859 - 1945). Rapkin operated under the imprint 'John Rapkin and Sons from 1867 until 1883, and was operating as 'John Rapkin and Sons' by 1887. Rapkin died in 1899 at the age of 85 soon after the death of his wife of over sixty years.