Little is known about the publisher and main sponsor of this map, James Gilbert. Contemporary advertisements suggest that he produced county atlases, Bible atlases as well as an atlas of the world. He also advertises this map separately, suggesting that it was his sole venture into large, folding, linen backed maps of the world.



We have been able to track down an earlier edition than this example, dated 1841 but our map does show a peculiar feature which suggests that both examples were published later than the date on the title. Both maps show Texas as part of the United States, something that was not ratified until 1845 and would probably not be shown on English maps until several months if not at least a year later. This example also shows the border in the west between British Canada and the United States as clearly settled along the 49th parallel, dating it after 1846. However, the border in the west between the United States and Mexico is shown in its configuration before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848.



Along with the features above, Gilbert also shows James Clarke Ross's 1841 discovery of Victoria Land in the South Pole. He also marks Russian gains in the Caucasus after the Russo-Persian War of 1826-8. The continent of Africa is beginning to reveal its secrets while in India, the map shows the sub-continent before the annexation of the Punjab in the Anglo-Sikh Wars, the second of which was in 1848-9. In South America, the region of Colombia is shown as being sub-divided into Ecuador, New Granada and Venezuela. Peru is now one country as opposed to being divided into North and South. This re-unification happened in 1839. Bolivia is still shown with a coastline while Patagonia is an unclaimed wilderness.



Two polar views on the lower left and right highlight the new discoveries made on the north and south poles.



While it is not as well-known as the maps of many of his competitors, this is a very colourful and beautiful map, presented in a segmented, folding, linen backed format.

Folded. [WLD4407]