Historic Map : Mitchell Map of South America, 1849, Vintage Wall Art

This is an attractive 1849 example of Samuel Augustus Mitchell's map of South America. The map depicts the whole of South America inclusive of Panama and the Falkland Islands. Ecuador is depicted extending well into central South America along the Amazon River – territory that is now claimed by Brazil. Peruvian and Chilean claims to a small stretch of coastline formerly claimed by Bolivia are noted. Colombia is identified under its former name, New Grenada. The whole is engraved and colored in Mitchell's distinctive style with green border work and vivid pastels. Political and topographical features are noted and color coded with elevation rendered by hachure.

The whole is engraved and colored in Mitchell's distinctive style with green border work and vivid pastels. Mitchell published this chart in his atlas from 1846 to the late 1850s before discontinuing the series and selling his map plates to DeSilver. This map was issued in the 1849 edition of the New Universal Atlas. It was the last edition of that atlas to be published by Mitchell prior to selling the plates and rights to the atlas to Thomas Cowperthwait in 1850.