North America Map – United States, Canada, Mexico 1857
This impressive antique print shows “Nord-America” meaning “North America,” published in 1857 by Justus Perthes in Gotha as part of Adolf Stieler’s renowned Hand-Atlas. The map was drawn and engraved by F. v. Stülpnagel, a leading German cartographer of the era.
It presents North America in fine detail, covering Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, Greenland, the Caribbean islands, and parts of Alaska labelled here as Russian America. Major features include detailed state and provincial boundaries, mountain ranges such as the Rockies and Appalachians, river systems like the Mississippi and Missouri, and major cities including New York, Washington, Mexico City, and Havana.
This map is significant as it captures North America shortly after the major territorial changes of the mid-19th century, including the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo that reshaped US-Mexican borders and before the 1867 purchase of Alaska by the United States. It reflects geopolitical realities during a period of rapid expansion, migration, and early industrialisation.
Technique: Copperplate engraving with original hand colouring, used to delineate national borders and territories in subtle yet distinct hues. German titles and annotations are engraved with exceptional clarity characteristic of Stieler’s atlases.
Condition summary: Excellent condition with strong impression, minimal age toning, and no tears, repairs, or significant foxing. Colours remain vivid and paper is firm and stable.
Framing tips: This North America map will display beautifully in a dark wood or black frame to emphasise its historical and geographical presence. Pair with a wide ivory or cream mount to balance its composition and highlight fine engraved details. UV-protective glass is recommended to preserve the engraving lines and original colouring for long-term display.
Bartele Gallery. Original antique maps, sea charts, engravings and works on paper. This is a plain text rendering of a page that is otherwise built in the browser. The catalogue index is at https://www.bartele.net/catalogue and machine readable notes are at https://www.bartele.net/llms.txt.