South Carolina
Joseph H. Colton, New York: 1854
Hand-colored engraving
14 x 16.5 inches, overall
5 x 3.5 inches, folded into cloth covers
as issued
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South Carolina
Colton Pocket Map, 1854
Colton Pocket Map, 1854
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Folding pocket map of South Carolina by J. H.Colton showing the townships, counties, county seats, villages, railroads, canals and cities of the state. Raised topography and rivers depicted throughout. Hand-colored in tones of pink, yellow, blue and orange, with red outline, within the usual decorative vine border associated with Colton maps. An inset map of Charleston is lower left. Population census data is on verso. The inside front cover has advertisements for other cartography products by Colton & Co. and the outer cover is embossed with raised decoration, the title in gold.
Between 1831 and 1890, the Colton firm dominated American map publishing and their atlases were the finest produced in the U.S. during the 19th century. The company was founded by Joseph H. Colton, who had no formal training in geography or cartography; his principal role was to manage the production and distribution of the maps. He began by publishing maps drawn by David H. Burr in the 1830s. The firm was renamed G.W. & C.B. Colton in the 1860s when Colton was succeeded by his sons -- George Woolworth Colton (1827-1901) and Charles B. Colton (c. 1831-1916). It is believed that George Colton compiled the company’s 1855 Atlas of the World and served thereafter as the firm’s principal map compiler, cartographer and engraver. The company continued to publish maps and atlases until 1892. Whether they were bought out or simply ceased production at that point is not known. According to map historian Walter W. Ristow: “At that date, wax engraving had been adopted as a reproduction medium by most of the large American cartographic publishers. Having built their business on engraving and lithography, the Coltons were apparently unwilling to reorganize it.”
Full publication information: Joseph H. Colton, 86 Cedar St. New York
References:
Cohen, Paul E. and Augustyn, Robert T. Manhattan in Maps: 1527-1995. New York: Rizzoli, 1997. p. 120.
Ristow, Walter W. American Maps & Mapmakers: Commercial Cartography in the 19th century. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press, 1985. pp. 325, 327.