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1862 \"Bird\'s Eye View\" Map
(Original – Over 150 Years Old)
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WASHINGTON DC AND VICINITY
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An Incredible Panoramic View
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This is a remarkable wood engraved map of the city of Washington DC and its surrounds, one of the most detailed and interesting I have ever come across. Titled “General Bird’s-Eye View of Washington and the Vicinity, Showing the Forts, Camps, Railroads, Rivers, Etc.,” it is 153 years old and presents a sweeping view of the nation\'s capital and the countryside around, just as it was over a century and a half ago when this map was made.
This is a large map, measuring almost two feet across (22 inches by 15 inches, to be exact), and there are literally thousands of features shown in finely engraved detail on this map. (What makes the specimen of this map offered here so highly desirable is that, unlike most, it is in virtually pristine condition.)
It is hard to convey the precision of engraving in this map, buildings and streets portrayed in tiny detail, the fields laid out in the surrounding countryside, rivers and canals shown winding along, with boats on them and bridges crossing them. In tiny numbers, 124 specific features (including the President\'s House and all important government buildings) are located, with the key to their identification given in the map\'s bottom margin.
This map was created when the Civil War was less than a year old, and the possibility of a Confederate attack on Washington DC was a very real threat. Thus this was a military, as well as topographical map, and it is why forts and camps were identified, as well as the normal geographical features one would expect.The 124 specific locations indicated on the map by numbers, with the key printed below the map identifying the points of interest corresponding to these numbers, are as follow:1.Bluff Point; 2.Matthias Point; 3.Marlboro\' Point; 4.Maryland Point; 5.Smith\'s Point; 6.Shipping Point; 7.Cockpit Point; 8.Freestone Point; 9.High Point; 10.Sandy Point; 11.Indian Head; 12.Hallowing Point; 13.White-house Point; 14.Mount Vernon; 15.Chapman\'s Point; 16.Sheridan\'s Point; 17.Fort Washington; 18.Port Tobacco; 19.Chickamoxen Creek; 20.Mattawoman River; 21.King George Court House; 22.Rappahannock River; 23. Aquia Creek; 24.Aquia Creek Batteries; 25.Railroad to Richmond; 26.Fredericksburg; 27.Stafford Court House; 28.Aquia; 29.Dumfries; 30.Occoquan and River; 31.Pohick Creek; 32.Accotink River; 33.Fredericksburg Turnpike; 34.Mount Vernon Road; 35.Infantry breast-works; 36.Fort Lyon; 37.Fort Ellsworth; 38.Alexandria; 39.Chesapeake and Ohio Canal; 40.Loudon and Hampshire Railroad; 41.Alexandria and Leesburg Turnpike; 42.Fairfax Seminary; 43.Fort Worth; 44.Hunting Creek; 45.Orange and Alexandria Railroad; 46.Springfield Station; 47.Fort Ward; 48.Fort Blenker; 49.Four Mile Run; 50.Fort Scott; 51.Fort Runyon; 52.Fort Albany; 53.Fort Richardson; 54.Fort Craig; 55.Arlington Mills; 56.Bailey\'s Cross Roads; 57.son\'s Hill; 58.Columbia Turnpike; 59.Benton\'s Tavern; 60.Fairfax Station; 61.Fort Tillinghast; 62.Fort Rains; 63.Fort Woodbury; 64.Arlington House; 65.Arlington Heights; 66.Fort Corcoran; 67.Ball\'s Cross Roads; 68.Munson\'s Hill; 69.Upton\'s Hill; 70.Taylor\'s Tavern; 71.Annandale; 72.Aqueduct Bridge; 73.Fort Bennett; 74.Fort Ethan Allen; 75.Falls Church; 76.Chain Bridge; 77.Little Falls; 78.Fort Marcy; 79.Lewinsville; 80.Miner\'s Hill; 81.Brent\'s Hill; 82.Prospect Hill; 83.Vienna; 84.Hunter\'s Mills; 85.Flint Hill; 86.Germantown; 87.Fairfax Court House; 88.Little River Turnpike; 89.Cub Run; 90.Centreville; 91.Bull Run; 92.Union Mills; 93.Yates Ford; 94.Manassas Junction; 95.Fairfax; 96.Warrenton; 97.Gordonsville; 98.Ferry; 99.Observatory; 100.Georgetown; 101.Rock Creek; 102.President\'s House and Treasury Building; 103.Washington Monument; 104.Smithsonian Institute; 105.Patent Offices; 106.General Post-office; 107.City Hall; 108.Capitol; 109.Railroad to Baltimore; 110.Baltimore Turnpike; 111.Long Bridge; 112.Arsenal; 113.Navy-yard; 114.Marine Hospital; 115.Potomac River; 116.Eastern Branch; 117.Piney Creek; 118.Milikin Creek; 119.Oxen Run; 120.Piscataway Creek; 121.Rockville Turnpike; 122.Tiber Creek; 123.Washington City Canal; and 124.Mason\'s Island.
A magnificent example of the engraver\'s art, this map will make an outstanding display piece!
This map was made as a wood engraving, so called because the plate it was printed from was made from an engraved block of wood – as opposed to, for example, a “steel engraving” or a “copper engraving” (which were printed from directly engraved metal plates). The item being offered in this sale is a map which was printed in Harper\'s Weekly a century and a half ago.
CONDITION: This historic map itself is in excellent condition, the nicest condition imaginable - it is virtually pristine! Not only is it entirely free of any significant problems, but most important. the centerfold doesn\'t have any binding holes at all, and certainly none of the more significant centerfold damage frequently encountered in these antique double-page maps. That is because it was \"tipped in,\" a more expensive binding process than was typically employed. Overall this map has an excellent appearance, making it a highly displayable piece of nineteenth century cartographic artwork.
This map is an ORIGINAL – it was printed 153 years ago and is absolutely guaranteed to be authentic, and not a later reprint or any other type of reproduction!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOOD ENGRAVINGS This great antique wood engraving was produced during the decades when America’s illustrated journals employed some of the very best artists and engravers this country had to offer. The advent of the illustrated journal in the middle of the nineteenth century brought a demand and keen competition for skilled artists and engravers. Within a relatively short time, the roster of artists contributing to these journals began to read like a “Who’s Who” of contemporary American illustrators.
To create a wood engraving, the artist would first draw his illustration on the surface of a very hard block of wood. Then the engravers went to work, carving into the wood to produce an original engraved block, from which plates were made for printing the artist\'s illustrations in Harper\'s.
PAYMENT AND SHIPPING
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Payment by PayPal
Buyer Pays Only Actual Postage Cost
This item will be shipped in several layers of cardboard for protection. Because of the resultant weight and the size of the package, for shipping within the United States, Priority Mail is the best (and also fastest) way to send this. For this package, the cost for Priority Mail, with Tracking, is $6.80 for postage (which includes no “handling charge” or any such nonsense, just my actual postage cost).
I go to the Post Office twice a week, so shipping generally occurs within 3 business days of receipt of payment.
INTERNATIONAL buyers: Foreign/overseas shipping is not a problem, BUT please consider before you offer that shipments outside the United States have to be at your own risk, as items can’t be insured when sent by regular overseas airmail - an item can ONLY be insured if sent by a much more expensive overseas airpost method.
International mailing via air will cost $9.75 to Canada and $16.75 elsewhere
COMBINED SHIPPING: Any additional items purchased at the same time as this one can often be shipped together with this item at little or no additional postal cost - if you purchase more than one item, please contact me to send you a combined shipping Invoice before paying!
Return Policy: This item is guaranteed to be exactly as described, but if through some unimaginable error what you receive is significantly different than described, the purchase price will be refunded in full.
Any questions, please email before offerding. Thanks!
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