Tanner, H.S. “A Map of the United States, of America; by H.S. Tanner.” From William Darby’s "Universal Gazetteer"

Henry S. Tanner.  “A Map of the United States, of America; by H.S. Tanner.”   From William Darby’s Universal Gazetteer. 

Philadelphia: Bennett & Walton, 1823.  15 1/4 x 12 1/2.  Engraving by H.S. Tanner on thin bank note paper.  Full original hand color.  With folds as originally issued.  Diagonal three inch repaired tear right hand side.  Scattered spotting in map.  Two matching diagonal printer’s wrinkles bottom and top left hand sides.  Small fill in separation along fold in bottom margin with old bank note paper.  Archival tape along some folds to reinforce and flatten.  With Universal Gazetteer.  Else good condition.

A superb and early frontispiece map of the United States by Henry S. Tanner.  Henry began his career in cartography working as an engraver for fellow Philadelphian John Melish, most importantly for Melish’s 1816 map of the United States.  Tanner’s work with Melish inspired him to go into map publishing, resulting in the 1823 publication of his important American Atlas.  Tanner continued to publish a wide variety of cartographic publications in atlases and as separate maps.  This map came from an account of the United States issued in 1823.

Accompanying the map is the informative gazetteer with original full leather binding and gold stamped label on spine.  The interior pages range from very clean to very brown (depending on the gathering) and some with spotting.  The massive text is all readable, and the constitutions of the twenty five states plus national government are a fine addition.