A Chart of National Flags
Henry Bill, New York: 1858
Chromolithograph
17.5 x 21 inches, printed border
19.5 x 22 inches, overall
$450
National and Maritime Flags of the World
19th Century American Lithograph
19th Century American Lithograph
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Approximately 90 colorful national flags and pilot signal flags are illustrated in a geometric arrangement in this chart. Prominently shown in larger size are the ensigns of the United States of America and of the French Empire, the imperial standards of the German Union and of Russia, and the royal standard of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Other flags include those of China, Denmark, Belgium, Spain and the East India Company.
Henry Bill was a publisher operating in New York from at least 1848 to 1862, and in Norwich, Connecticut from at least 1884 to 1895. The company produced views, historical and genre prints, and books. The titles from the Norwich years concentrate on illustrated historical and travel books. Bill was also among the founders of the Chelsea Savings-Bank in Norwich in 1858 and served as its first vice president, a position he still held in 1882, and attained sufficient prominence to be included in an illustrated popular biography of Connecticut published in 1891.
Condition: Generally very good with the usual light overall toning, wear, soft creases and light marginal cockling. Creases from folds, as issued, as well as small scattered marginal and intersection tears, all professionally repaired as later flattened and backed on supporting Japanese paper. Left margin short, still adequate for matting and framing.
References:
Hurd, D. Hamilton. “History of New London County, Connecticut, with Biographical Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men.” Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co.: 1882. Dunham-Wilcox-Trott-Kirk. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jdevlin/town_hist/nl-chap24.htm (1 August 2005).
Spalding, J.A. “Introduction.” Illustrated Popular Biography of Connecticut. Hartford, CT: Case, Lockwood, and Brainard: 1891. on USGenNet. 7 December 2004. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ct/county/fairfield/ctbios.html (1 August 2005).