La Suisse et les Pays Limitrophes

An extremely rare relief map of Switzerland published by the innovative German cartographer, Georg Michael Bauerkeller (1805-1886).



Georg and his half-brother (confusingly, also named Georg [Georg Leonhart Bauerkeller]) invented and patented the process of "Geomontography". This combined colour lithography with embossing techniques to create vibrant, printed 3-D maps.



Bauerkeller moved to Paris with his family in 1837, where he established his business "Bauerkeller & Cie" which specialised in geomontography. The technique was later adopted by the "Institut des Jeunes Aveugles" [Institute for Blind Youth] in Paris to produce maps for the blind and visually impaired.


The plaster relief map has a combination of printed and hand-colour. It is mounted on its original board. Presented in a modern Perspex box frame.


[SWAS1483]