Map, Texas, Pictorial, Satirical, Humorous Illustrations, Vintage Print, Dallas, 1951

United States of Texas
Harper Standard Engraving Company, Dallas, Texas: 1951
Offset lithograph print on coated paper
24 x 18 inches, overall
Price on request

Satirical pictorial novelty map of Texas, which as the title and declarations beneath it imply, is filled with jokes about Texan pride and braggadocio, and the tendency of residents to view their state as practically a nation in and of itself. The map portion, surmounted by female angels on a ring of stars labeled “Halo,” divides the state into small, irregularly shaped sections that are labeled with titles, some also containing illustrations that range from straightforward renderings to cartoons. The state names are a combination of references to actual industries, agricultural products, sites, and activities such as “Mining State,” “Cattle State,” and a view of The Alamo. Other whimsical names include “State School of Bragging,” “State of Unrest” and “Self-Sufficient State.” In the center is a section shaped like a map of the U.S. labeled “Uncle Sam’s Ranch,” a mythical place described in a text box to the right. Surrounding the main Texas map are humorous photographs, illustrations, and texts, including 13 illustrations and obviously doctored photographs of hybrid animals, such as the “Jackie Bird” — a turkey with the head of a jackass. The map is printed on the back with other illustrations and humorous text. It folds as issued for mailing, with one panel of the back reserved to add an address and postage stamp. The publisher was a printing services company that had just opened a specialty division producing novelties for business promotions. This ephemeral map is apparently very scarce.

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