A Map of the British and French Dominions in North America, with the Roads, Distances, Limits and Extent of the Settlements, Humbly Inscribed to the Right Honourable The Earl of Halifax, And the other Right Honourable The Lords Commissioners for Trade & Plantations, by their Lordships Most Obliged and very humble servant Jn.o Mitchell

Mitchell, John; Thomas Kitchin (engr.)

Published by The Author, [London], 1755

About this Item

THE MOST IMPORTANT MAP IN AMERICAN HISTORY -- THE VANISHINGLY RARE FIRST IMPRESSION. [London]: "Publish'd by the Author Febry 13th 1755 according to Act of Parliament, and Sold by And: Miller opposite Katherine Street in the Strand" (i.e., Andrew Millar). First edition, first impression. Eight engraved sheets, separately framed floating (26" x 18 1/2" each, framed at 31" x 23") with original hand-colored outlines. With some very small edge-tears. A few sheets a little soiled and tanned at the edges. Two or three spots of foxing. Altogether a lovely set with original color. How often does a tool so fully meet its intended goal that it continues to be used for two centuries? The map of the eastern part of North America made by John Mitchell (1711-1768) is such a tool. Mitchell was a close friend of the second Earl of Halifax (to whom the map is dedicated), who as president of the Board of Trade 1748-1761 was able to furnish Mitchell with the most accurate and up-to-date surveys that had been made of the terrain. He consulted every map he could; he wrote to Cadwallader Colden that "there are none I believe but what I have consulted." This tremendous effort made all the difference, placing this map head-and-shoulders above others, even as cartographic knowledge advanced over the centuries. The enduring success of the map is all the more notable in view of its combativeness. Mitchell's map was not neutral or nonpartisan; it was full-throatedly pro-English and anti-French. Borders were freely extended and transposed to maximize British territory. It would go to some 21 states (impressions and editions) by 1781, and was translated into Dutch, French and Italian. It was the third edition that lay before John Jay during the negotiations that led to the Treaty of Paris (1783; now in the New-York Historical Society). The latest known use of the map is in the resolution of the 1980's disagreement between the U.S. and Canada over fisheries in Maine. The first impression (per Stephenson) is distinguished by the following points: "Miller" and "Katherine" for "Millar" and "Katharine" in the imprint, and "Leicester" twice: above and below the third S of "Massachussets" (the lower would be corrected to Worcester in the third impression). Of this first impression, only two further examples are known: in the Library of Congress (G3300 1755 .M5) and the British Library (K.Top.118.49.c.2; George III's copy, donated to the nation by George IV). Stephenson, Richard W. "Table for identifying variant editions and impressions of John Mitchell's Map." In A la Carte, ed. Walter W. Ristow, 109-113. Washington: Library of Congress, 1972. Howes M678, Pritchard-Taliaferro 33, Stevens-Tree 54 (1755(a) "first issue"). Seller Inventory # 6JLR0157

Bibliographic Details

Title: A Map of the British and French Dominions in...

Publisher: The Author, [London]

Publication Date: 1755

Binding: No binding

Condition: Near fine

Edition: First.