Antique Prints and Maps Resources
American Map Publishers of the 1800s - a brief listing
Colton, Joseph H. and George W.
- many map publications (including railroad maps) bearing the J.H. Colton imprint from 1833.
- “Colton’s Atlas of the World, Illustrating Physical and Political Geography” was first published in a two volume edition in 1855 (North and South America volume) and 1856 (Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania etc). Interestingly, it was first offered for sale by subscription (davidrumsey.com has a subscribers salesman’s book). The maps were engraved on steel plates and then transferred to lithographic plates. The maps were handcolored. From 1857 the reorganised Colton’s General Atlas had a long publication run to 1888.
- From 1856 sons George Woolworth Colton and Charles B. Colton entered the business.
-The Colton firm also published many important and high quality wall maps and pocket maps.
Mitchell, Samuel Augustus and his son S. Augustus Mitchell Jr.
- A New American Atlas (a reprint of A. Finley's atlas) published in 1831. "In 1845 Mitchell acquired the copyright for Tanner's New Universal Atlas from Carey & Hart, which had previously purchased the copyright from Tanner and had published the atlas in 1843 and 1844" (Ristow). Two editions of this New Universal Atlas were published in 1846; the copyright claimant on the second edition plates is H.N. Burroughs. The maps in the 1846 and later editions were printed by lithography. After 1849 the atlas was published by Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co. and then in 1856 and 1857 by Charles DeSilver. In 1860 it was again published by the son, S.A. Mitchell Jr., under the title of New General Atlas. It continued to be published until 1893 (with some changes of publishing company - see Ristow).
- The Mitchell company published other atlases and separately issued maps (pocket and wall). In 1832 Mitchell first issued his "Traveller's Guide through the United States."
Johnson, Alvin Jewitt
- "Johnson's New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas, With Descriptions, Geographical, Statistical and Historical" was published in 1860, "Compiled, Drawn, and Engraved, under the Supervision of J.H. Colton & Alvin Jewitt Johnson" and "published by Johnson and Browning, Formerly (Successors to J.H. Colton and Company)..." In 1862 and 1863 the publisher is Johnson & Ward. "Editions of the Family Atlas were published to 1885. The Colton name was dropped from the title page after the 1865 edition...Notwithstanding Colton's sale of the maps to Johnson for use in the Family Atlas, Colton's General Atlas continued to be published." (Ristow)
Some Reference Books for 19th Century American Cartography
* Manasek, F.J. Collecting Old Maps. Terra Nova Press. 1998.
* Modelski, Andrew M. Railroad Maps of North America. The First Hundred Years. Washington: Library of Congress. 1984.
* Schwartz, S.I. and Ralph E. Ehrenberg. The Mapping of America. New York: Abrams. 1980.
* Ristow, W.W. American Maps and Mapmakers. Commercial Cartography in the Nineteenth Century. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. 1985.
ANTIQUE PRINTS AND ANTIQUE MAPS
open up the worlds of the past for us. From the Middle Ages forward, it is possible to find prints illustrating practically every area of the globe and every human activity. Prints were both artistic expression and a means of recording daily life, much as photography is today. They are beautiful to look at and intellectually stimulating. Prints are collected for their intrinsic fascination or may be used in decorating to impart a distinctive personalized character.
WHAT IS A PRINT?
"Print" is a generic term used to describe multiples of the same image produced from a common source or 'matrix' (typically wood, metal or stone). Thus a photograph, a printed road map, and an engraving hand-produced by the artist are all examples of prints. Antique prints and maps were produced by techniques where the matrix was worked by hand (as opposed to photo-mechanical methods which became common from the late 19th century), and this is immediately apparent in the quality of the image.
In looking at antique prints and maps you need to be able to identify the different methods employed to make a print, and to distinguish between a genuinely old print and a modern reproduction of an old print.
HOW WERE ANTIQUE PRINTS PRODUCED?
The methods of producing antique prints fall into three general categories :
RELIEF: The areas to be inked and printed are left standing in relief after the rest of the block (typically wood or linoleum) has been cut away. Examples: woodcuts and wood engravings.
INTAGLIO: The areas to be printed are cut or incised into a metal plate by a variety of techniques. Ink is applied to the incisions into the plate and the surface is wiped clean. The print is produced by applying damp paper to the
surface and running it through a press, forcing the ink from the incisions. Examples: engraving, etching, aquatint, mezzotint, drypoint. Typically, a plate mark (an indentation in the paper due to the pressure needed to pull the
ink out of the incisions) identifies the intaglio process.
PLANOGRAPHIC: With lithography, the main example of this process, the image is drawn on finely grained limestone or on a metal plate with a greasy pencil, crayon or ink. The stone is treated with a chemical solution, dampened, and then inked. The ink is attracted to the greasy crayon marks but repelled by the dampened areas. When paper is placed on the stone and both run through a press, the image is transferred, from a flat surface.
WHAT IS AN "ORIGINAL" PRINT?
Printmaking processes that are today associated with "fine art" were once used to provide illustrations for books, newspapers and magazines as well as for individually published prints. When these "commercial art" processes were
replaced by photographic reproduction, lithography, wood engraving etc. became the exclusive techniques of "fine art". The distinction was solidified by the introduction of such concepts as the signed "limited edition" print (where the
artist signs and numbers each print) and the emphasis on an "original" print (where the artist produces the "block", the source of all subsequent images). Prior to the late nineteenth century, there was not this importance attached to the artist producing the printing block; rather, artisans skilled in this process were routinely employed. There is an excellent discussion of this topic in Susan Lambert's book "The Image Multiplied" pages 31 to 35.
HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH A GENUINE OLD PRINT FROM A MODERN REPRODUCTION?
The more you look at old prints the easier this becomes. Most reproductions of old prints produced by modern means have a flat appearance which contrasts with the crispness and depth of tone of the old print. It is this quality of
printing which will make you gravitate to the genuine old print.
1. Look at the print through a magnifying glass. The majority of reproductions of old prints are produced by photomechanical means and can easily be distinguished by the pattern of lines and dots visible through the
magnifying glass. A regular grid pattern of dots indicates a photo-offset reproduction. Of course, prints produced since the late 19th century may have originally been printed by this technique. A more recent development in color
reproduction is xeroxing. When seen in magnification, a color xerox print is identified by parallel lines of color .
Examine old prints and become familiar with the look of different techniques. Lithographs have an irregular granular pattern (contrast the granular look of a genuine old Currier and Ives print with the dot grid pattern of a twentieth
century Currier and Ives calendar print). Engravings and wood engravings are both linear in pattern -- reproductions of these processes lack the crispness of the original. (The book by Bamber Gascoigne listed below has excellent illustrations showing the distinguishing characteristics of different print techniques.)
2. Examine the paper. The paper used at different times and places has a distinctive look and feel. Watermarks in the paper help to identify the age of the print. This type of knowledge is gained by experience examining old prints, and is one reason why buying a costly framed print (where the paper cannot be examined) from other than a reputable dealer can be a risky business.
WHAT MAKES A PRINT VALUABLE?
An old print produced by one of the methods described above has an intrinsic value which a modern photo-offset reproduction does not.
Factors which influence value are subject matter, artist or printmaker, quality of technique, scarcity and, of course, condition. Problems of condition include tears, foxing (small brown spots), mildew, waterstains and holes. A paper conservator should be consulted to determine what can be done to restore a damaged print.
While the purist will always value the print in its original state, modern handcoloring, if skillfully applied, may enhance the value of a commonly available black and white image.
HOW DO I CARE FOR MY ANTIQUE PRINTS?
The paper on which prints were produced varies greatly in quality and durability, but if kept under proper conditions (no extremes of temperature or humidity and out of direct sunlight), pre-twentieth century paper is amazingly durable. The following are a few suggestions for print care, but please consult oldimprints.com, a paper conservator or qualified framer for more detailed information.
- A print should be handled using both hands, to give adequate support and to prevent tearing.
- Although all old prints were not produced on acid-free paper, keeping them in an acid-free environment will aid their longevity. Offending "acid" materials include framing materials of an earlier era. Often rematting - if not
reframing - will help preserve a precious print.
- Do not use staples, paperclips or adhesive or "scotch" tape on old prints.
- Prints should never be exposed to direct sunlight; the use of an ultra-violet filtering glass or plexiglass is highly recommended to minimize fading.
GLOSSARY
Abbreviations found on old prints -
del.: delineavit (Latin, drew it), denotes the artist's name
lith.: denotes the lithographer's name
pinx.: pinxit (Latin, painted it), denotes the artist's name
sc., sculp.: sculpsit, (Latin, engraved by), denotes the engraver's name;
interchangeable with eng. (English, engraved)
Generally, the artist's name is noted at the bottom left of a print, the maker of the printblock at the right.
chromolithograph - a lithograph printed in color, using different stones or plates for each color
foxing - brownish spots on the paper, with a number of possible causes, including dampness, fungus, and paper impurities
restrike - a print "struck" (ie printed) from the original block (usually a metal plate) but at a later time than the original edition. Restrikes are particularly common with such images as British hunting scenes, which have routinely been reprinted over the years since they were first published.
SUGGESTED READING
Gascoigne, B. How to Identify Prints - A complete guide to manual and mechanical processes from woodcut to ink jet. Thames & Hudson 1986.
Griffiths, Antony. Prints and Printmaking: An Introduction to the History and Techniques. 1980.
Hults, Linda. The Print in the Western World. University of Wisconsin.
Lambert, Susan. The Image Multiplied. Five centuries of printed reproductions of paintings and drawings. New York: Abaris. 1987.
Ivins, W.M. How Prints Look. Beacon Press 1964.
Wilder, F. L. How to Identify Old Prints. Bell 1969.
*Hughes, Therle. Prints for the Collector. Praeger 1971.
*Ebert, J. & K. Old American Prints for Collectors. Scribner's 1974.
* Marzio, P. The Democratic Art: Chromolithography 1840-1900. Godine 1979.
* Rix, M. The Art of Botanical Illustration. Arch Cape Press 1990.
* Dance, S.P. The Art of Natural History. Arch Cape Press 1990.
van de Gohm, R. Antique Maps for the Collector. Macmillan 1972.
Moreland, C. & D. Bannister Antique Maps. Phaidon 1986.
Schwartz, S. & R. Ehrenberg The Mapping of America. Abrams 1980.
* May be purchased from oldimprints.com (see our Reference Books for Sale).
FURTHER USEFUL SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
Riggs, Timothy A. The Print Council Index to Oeuvre-Catalogues of Prints by European and American Artists. Kraus International Publ. 1983.
