Islands in the Atlantic. Decorative Tallis antique map c1853.

by John Tallis & Company

Atlantic Ocean Islands. John Tallis antique map c1853: Bermuda or Summers Islands, Azores or Western Isles, Madeira Island, Canary Islands, and Cape de Verde Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Finely engraved vignettes of Fayal, Azores; Pico, Azores; Chapel in the Rock St Vicente, Cape de Verde Islands;, Villa Franca, Azores; Funchal, Madeira; Teneriffe, Canary Islands. Coloured pen outlining islands, and pale blue wash around the land massese, as published by John Tallis and Company c1853.

John Tallis was the driving force behind the Tallis publishing company, but John Rapkin was largely responsible for Tallis's reputation as publishers of accurate, finely engraved decorative maps. Tallis maps are easily recognized by their steel engraved vignettes of important subjects in the region, and elegantly drawn and engraved borders. Specialist map illustrators drew the illustrations, and then engraved a steel plate, in reverse from a mirror image. The illustrations for this map were drawn and engraved by Henry Winkles. The fine engraving required skill and time. Unfortunately it was also expensive. In 1865 Tallis was among the last of the publishers of beautifully decorated maps and prints.

In contemporary condition (as published) with central horizontal fold and upper and lower margins trimmed to accommodate a publication half its size. This map has slight soiling as is to be expected when it is 170 years old.
Double page size, 350 x 270 mm (13 3/4 x 10 5/8 inches).