Johnson's Palestine by Johnson and Ward. Damascus, Jerusalem. c1864

by Johnson and Ward

Palestine antique map. Damascus, and Jerusalem (10 Buildings).

Finely engraved colour-printed antique map of Palestine by Johnson and Ward c1863, with contemporary outlining of the regions with pink pen, and scripture, classical and modern place names. This fine map has a vignette of camels and riders, with the Barada River and City of Damascus beyond; and an Inset at lower right of Jerusalem and 10 Principal Buildings - all enclosed within an intricately engraved geometric border.

Alvin Jewitt Johnson (1827-1884) had a minimal education and then taught school for several years before becoming a door-to-door book salesman. He moved from Vermont to Richmond, Virginia, and in 1865 worked for J.H. Colton publishers, where he became a valued member of the company. Financially successful, in 1859 Johnson set up separately from Colton, using Colton map plates. Publishing in similar styles, Johnson replaced Colton's name on his maps. A.J. Johnson’s first significant work was Johnson’s New Illustrated (Steel Plate) Family Atlas in 1860. During the 1860s, when a supply of a map ran low, an updated version was issued rather than printing a superceded map, so decorative borders varied within a single issue of this atlas which makes it difficult to accurately date Johnson maps. His successful business became Johnson and Browning and then Johnson and Ward, with maps published until 1887.

Joseph Hutchins Colton (1800-1893) established J.H. Colton and Company printing and publishing firm in 1830. George Woolworth Colton (1827-1901) and his brother Charles B. Colton (1832-1916) joined their father in the early 1850s and George began engraving elaborate borders for maps in 1855. Colton and Company retained a fine reputation as the pre-eminent mapmakers in America, with accurate maps embellished by finely-engraved decorative borders.

This is a decorative map in good condition with wide margins. Page: 520 x 445mm (20.5 x 17.5 inches). External size of engraved border: 425 x 343mm (16.75 x 13.5 inches)