Maps > Pocket Maps(63 items) > NYC and Long Island (3 items) 
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DRIPPS, Matthew (publisher)

Map of the Bays, Harbors and Rivers around New York

New York: published by M. Dripps, 1871. Provenance: Thomas H. Kane (early ink stamp to lower right corner). Lithographic map, with full period hand-colour, on fine paper (old folds with some browning, expert repairs and occasional facsimile work). Sheet size: 33 1/4 x 28 3/8 inches.

An attractive map of Manhattan and its surroundings.

As the title suggests, this map concentrates on physical landmarks and features of the land and sea "Showing the channels, soundings, lighthouses, buoys &c. and the complete topography of the surrounding country; including Hemstead, Sandy-Hook, South-Amboy, Newark, Yonkers, N. Rochelle & Glencove". The title goes on to note that the map is "Based on the trigonometrical survey, executed in 1856, for the Harbor Commissioners of New York, by A.D. Bache Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey", but is at pains to point out that "The surveys of the cities, townships, railways, canals, roads, etc. are entirely original, & have been carefully revised & completed to date".

"Checklist of Maps and Atlases relating to the city of New York in the New York Public Library" in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library, volume V (New York: 1901), p.70

#20370$3,750.00
 
 
VIELE, General Egbert Ludovicus (1825-1902)

The Transval of New York

New York: Johnson & Co., 1880. Map printed in colours, (sheet size:17 x 54 inches), (splits at folds expertly sealed), [with:] a 29pp. pamphlet "The Transval of New York" (New York: Johnson & Co., 1880), small 8vo (6 3/4 x 4 3/8 inches), original pebble-grained cloth-covered boards. .

A fine map of the region now largely Washington Heights of Manhattan; from 130th Street to Inwood Hill Park, the Henry Hudson Bridge and the northern-most tip of Manhattan Island that Viele proposed to call the Transval in reference to the valley-like gorge that runs through the area. The name never stuck and little or nothing came of Viele's proposal that this would be an excellent terminal port for lumber and grain traveling via the Erie Canal. A canal, similar to that shown on the map, was finally dug in 1923.

Much of Viele's map, as with many 19th century maps of Manhattan, was "as planned" or hoped for rather than "as existing". What were there in fact were the substantial homes, designated in black on the map, of prosperous New Yorkers, who enjoyed the spectacular views of the Hudson and many of the north-south running avenues that form the axes of the present community.

Viele's pamphlet gives an entertaining and detailed history of the region and a particularly good account of the Battle for Fort Washington, which, though Washington's men lost, was a valiantly fought encounter, worthy of greater renown in the annals of that war.

General Viele had a distinguished career. A descendent of an old New York Dutch family, he graduated from West Point, served in the Mexican War and the Civil War, was Engineer-in-Chief of the Central Park and Prospect Park developments and served a term in Congress.

Jackson, The Encyclopedia of New York City

#20372$1,750.00
 
 
VIELE, General Egbert Ludovicus (1825-1902)

The West End Plateau of New York

New York: Johnson & Pratt, 1879. Folding map, printed in colours, by Johnson & Pratt (sheet size:15 3/4 x 50 3/4 inches), [with:] a 25pp. pamphlet "The West End Plateau of the City of New York" (New York: Johnson & Pratt., 1879, 12mo (5 3/4 x 3 3/8 inches), both contained within a single original binding of blue cloth-covered boards (text detached). Map expertly conserved, losses at folds repaired with facsimile in several places.

A fine map of the area from 50th street to 130th Street, between Central Park and the Hudson River.

The Upper West Side of Manhattan presented on a large scale and as a promise, rather than as a realization, for most of what stands there now was yet to be built in 1879. In fact, this map, like so many maps of 19th century New York City, is a proposed or envisioned section of town. But the elements of what were to make the Upper West Side what it now is, are in place: Central Park, Riverside Park, Morningside Park and the expanded Bloomingdale Road, which became Broadway. These were the framework of the huge building frenzy from 1904 to the 1930s during which the Upper West Side became one of the regions New York expanded into.

General Egbert Viele (1825-1902) had a distinguished career. He graduated from West Point, served in the Mexican War and the Civil War, and was Engineer-in-Chief in the making of both Central Park and Prospect Park. He served a term in Congress. But actually, he is best known for his "Sanitation and Topographical Map of New York City", issued in 1865, which showed the original streams, marshes and general topography of the island superimposed upon which is the grid system of streets.

General Viele's accompanying pamphlet envisions the vast development of the Upper West Side at a time when the area was sparsely inhabited and quite poor. To many New Yorkers, the city seemed complete. Viele begins by describing the great cities of London, Paris, Vienna, Berlin and Naples and promises that New York will surpass them all.

Jackson, The ENcyclopedia of New York City.

#20371$2,500.00
 
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