J. Dosseray was a prolific publisher of posters, texts and several maps. We can find a record of a map of Spain which he published in 1892, citing his address in Brussels. Sometime between then and 1911, he moved to Paris. There are several references to him as a publisher of other texts and images in multiple subjects.



This map was almost certainly published as a separate issue, or not part of a bound volume. Despite the date of 1911 printed on the face of the map, geographically, it is quite antiquated. There is little detail in the interior of Africa and most tellingly of all, Bolivia is shown with a coastline to the Pacific, something it lost after the War of the Pacific of 1884. Further examination shows that the map is very schematic and geographically light.



Stylistically, it bears a superficial resemblance to the map of the World by Victor Clerot published from the 1850s to the early 1880s , particularly recognisable by the large vignette of a model of the earth's crust on the lower centre. As with that map, there are also diagrams of the comparative mountain heights from around the world.



The most interesting feature on this map is the very unusual border decoration, consisting of the world's currencies. Such specific vignettes, together with the use of the Spanish language suggest that the map was aimed at a very particular market, namely the world of finance. Even more specifically, each of the illustrations is given a value in comparison to a "Peseta" or the previous Spanish currency before the Euro, suggesting that it was aimed at the Spanish financial market.



A very unusual and attractive item of Spanish/French ephemera.

SL [WLD4349]