Colton's Mexico

New York: G. W. & C. B. Colton, 1884. Duodecimo, 5 x 3 1/2 inches. Folding lithographed map (13 4/8 x 16 4/8 inches) with original hand color in outline and in part. Original brown cloth over boards, gilt lettering at front cover, blindstamped decorations at covers, yellow ad front pastedown. A later edition, but still a scarce map showing most of Texas and the United States south of the 34th parallel, first published in 1854, reissued in 1861 with editions including Spencer's Ranch, Fort Leaton, Eagle Press, Palafox, Rio Grande City are all shown along with the Texas border. Railroads are now shown running through Texas and across to California, and between Veracruz and Mexico City; the Texas, Pacific and the Southern Pacific railroads are named. Colton had begun publishing maps in New York in the 1830s. Between 1831 and 1890, the Colton firm dominated American map publishing, although Colton had no formal training in geography or cartigraphy. He began by purchasing copyrights of maps prepared by other individuals or companies, and his principles role was to manage the production and distribution of the maps. His first maps were drawn by the esteemed cartographer David H. Burr in the 1830s. By the 1850s Colton was also publishing guidebooks, atlases and immigrant and railraod maps. The firm renamed to G. W. and C. B. Coltons in the 1860s when Colton's took over, George and Charles. Near Fine, spine faded, spot at front cover, stamp at bottom of front pastedown.