A New Universal Atlas Containing Maps of the various Empires, Kingdoms, State and Republics of the World. With a Special Map of each of the United States, Plans of Cities, &c. by Mitchell, Samuel Augustus - 1849

Philadelphia: S. Augustus Mitchell, 1849 Folio. (17 3/8 x 14 inches). Lithographed title with large vignette, letterpress "Table of Contents," and 73 hand-colored lithographed maps, charts and city plans. Three-quarter red morocco over marbled boards, large red morocco title label on front cover, elaborately tooled and lettered in gilt. Spine and corners renewed in red leather. Boards rubbed and scuffed at edges. Maps in fine condition. Overall, a fine copy. A very nice copy of this very scarce atlas, with hand-colored maps of all the individual States and Territories, and including the rare and famous map of "Oregon, Upper California & New Mexico" showing the large yellow-colored area in California labeled "Gold Region." The Atlas concentrates on the American continent with 43 maps of the area, including a fine double-page coast-to-coast map of the United States. Samuel Augustus Mitchell and his sons were the leading publishers of maps in the United States during most of the nineteenth century. A New American Atlas, published in 1831, was Mitchell's first work. In 1846 he published his first edition of the present work. He continued to publish the Atlas until 1850, when he sold the copyright to Cowperthwait & Co. It was with this 1849 edition that "New Mexico" was added to the title of the map, as well as the words, "Gold Region," added in a large yellow area in "Upper or New California." As Wheat states, "We find S. Augustus Mitchell in Philadelphia publishing, in 1849, a revised version of his Texas, Oregon, and California map, taking advantage of Frémont's later work and displaying a large, colored Gold Region." Also, many routes are shown by red hand-colored lines, including Frémont's routes. [Wheat: Mapping the Transmississippi West: 630, p.284; text, p.82; not noted in Wheat's Maps of the Gold Region]..