About this sheet
This is an original antique map of Germany and Central Europe, a steel engraving colored by hand, titled "GERMANY GENERAL MAP". It covers the German states from the North Sea and the Baltic to the Alps, and extends east over Bohemia, Galicia, Hungary and Transylvania to Wallachia and Moldavia, with Denmark, Poland, Switzerland and northern Italy at the edges. The many state borders are drawn in outline color, with a pale blue wash on the seas. Railway lines are engraved.
Below the title the plate reads "Published under the superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge". Beneath it a table headed "POPULATION" lists the states with their rank and population, from Austria, Prussia and Bavaria to the Hanse towns of Bremen, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Lubeck, giving a "Total 42,700,000" and a key to ranks from "C. County" and "D. Duchy" to "Pr. Province". At upper left a key identifies the small states by letters, as "A Anhalt" and "W Waldeck". Scales of "German Miles" and "English Miles" are engraved in the left margin. Below the border are the imprint "London, Edward Stanford 6 Charing Cross." and "Engraved by J. & C. Walker", with the plate number "13." above the upper right corner.
The plate comes from The Harrow Atlas of Modern Geography, published in London in 1858 by Edward Stanford of 6 Charing Cross and sold at Harrow by Crossley and Clarke, booksellers to Harrow School. Its maps were selected from those of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, founded in London in 1826, which issued its series of maps in parts from 1829 until the Society was wound up in 1848. Edward Stanford later issued the maps under his own imprint, as this sheet shows. The sheet shows the German lands as separate kingdoms, duchies and principalities, and the table gives the "Austrian Emp." at 26,028,000 "and in Italy 4,088,000", and the "Prussian Emp." at 12,472,000 "besides Neuchatel 50,500".
The table and letter key make this a useful reference to the German states.
Condition: Light handling wear to the bottom left corner; a small irregularity of a few millimeters to the bottom edge. Light, uneven toning, slightly darker toward the edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. A center fold, as issued.
This is an original antique map, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.
