Roe & Colby “Map of the City of Lancaster. Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania”

Roe & Colby.  “Map of the City of Lancaster.  Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania”

Philadelphia: Roe & Colby, 1874.  56 ½ x 55 (full sheet).  Lithograph with original top moulding and bottom spindle.  Map mounted to original canvas backing and varnished as originally issued. Horizontal cracking in various areas of the map with some map edges frayed; all as to be expected. Linen tape on verso to repair tears and to reinforce areas of canvas.  Faint water stain upper right corner.  Else, very good condition for a large wall map.  

A very detailed map of the city of Lancaster with roads, railroad lines and buildings for homes and commerce.  This map features approximately 130 businesses active at the time by listing and describing establishments on the map’s top tier. This wall map may have been displayed in a school, business, real estate or city office, or in a home for decorative purposes. Most wall maps were glued to a linen base and varnished to protect the surface. Over time, the varnish causes the paper to become brown and brittle and the action of rolling and unrolling them results in the paper becoming cracked and chipped. These large maps were never framed and when not needed were often deposited in basements or attics where they would come in contact with water. Most antique wall maps today are usually found with large tide marks and numerous cracks and chips. This map does exhibit some of the anticipated condition problems as described above, but these flaws are as to be expected and all of the cartographic information of the city is intact. Overall, a very scarce and attractive wall map.