Description
The National Library of Australia has an earlier version of this map dated 1838, which they refer to as a “scarce Italian edition of [Adrian Hubert] Brué’s map that had been published in 1829, just a few years earlier.” Their copy has an address line under the publisher’s name, lower center. This 1862 map appears to have been printed from the same plate, because traces of that line of text, removed from the plate, can be discerned.
The Vallardi firm was founded in Milan in 1750 by Francesco Cesare Vallardi as a print publishing and art dealing business, and continued by his sons Pietro (1770-1819) and Giuseppe (1784-1861). After Pietro’s death in 1819, Giuseppe continued running it alone. Vallardi published some 22 editions of Itinerario d’Italia between 1819 and 1835, a forerunner of the modern travelers’ guidebook. In the mid 19th century, the company also published city views, including panoramas of Italian cities such as Genoa, Venice and Florence. Other 19th century publications included artistic, geographic, scientific and religious works, and the firm developed its scholastic publications to become one of Italy’s leading producers of educational materials for children. They also produced globes and planetary models, and other school demonstration devices, from the late 19th to mid 20th century. By 1920 the company had been renamed Antonio Vallardi. During the latter half of the 20th century, the firm was acquired by Gruppo Editoriale Mauri Spagnol and continues to focus on educational and geographic reference works today: foreign language dictionaries, tourist guides, textbooks and how-to books.
Full publication information: “Mappamondo: Per uso degli studiosi della moderna Geografia. Da Gio Battista Bordiga 1862. Inciso da Paolo Binaghi. Milano. Presso gli Editori dell’Atlante Pietro e Giuseppe Vallardi.”
Condition: Generally very good, recently professionally cleaned and deacidified with only light remaining toning and wear.
References:
“Antonio Vallardi Editore.” Vallardi Editore. http://www.vallardi.it/chisiamo.php (28 October 2009).
“Mappa mondo.” National Library of Australia. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/6533695 and https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-232519901/view (30 October 2020).
“Scheda 39 Antonio Vallardi Editore.” Fondazione Mondadori. http://fondazionemondadori.it/censimento/lombardia2007/Schede_censite_1999/ Scheda%2039%20ANTONIO%20VALLARDI%20EDITORE.doc (28 October 2009).
“Vallardi Brothers.” British Museum. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG149028 (2 November 2020).
