Lovely Handcolored Map of Paris

Plan de Paris fortifie et des communes environnantes

Publication: Paris: Magasin de Cartes Geographiques de Longuet, Succ'r de Simonneau, 1847.

Notes: A large, beautiful engraved map of Paris within the boundaries of the recently completed wall around the perimeter of the city. The map has very attractive handcoloring of buildings, forts, parks, and, of course, the Seine. The map is dissected and mounted on the original brown linen and comes with the original marbled-paper-covered sleeve.

In addition to showing the streets, buildings, and parks of the old city, the purpose of this map was to plot the location of the Thiers Wall. The wall, running more than 20 miles (30 km), was a massively expensive defensive embankment encircling the city that was completed in 1846. The wall and a system of forts was supposed to provide a defensive perimeter. Changes in technology (a.k.a. the tank) made the wall obsolete by the First World War.

46 by 34 inches (116 by 86 cm). Dissected into 32 panels.

This map is seen with at least two different imprints, the Longuet example here, and the more common one printed under the name of J. Andriveau-Goujon. The first edition may have been in 1844, with editions following in 1846, 1847, and then every few years in the 1850s. OCLC does not appear to record a copy of this particular variant.

Edition + Condition: One fold separated and several have partial splits; there is a spot of ink in an otherwise empty field near the bottom edge. This copy seems to have particularly good handcoloring compared to other examples. The map has a printed label on the back (verso). The folding paper sleeve, which does not often survive, is very good, missing a small piece from one end. It has an engraved label with a vignette of a Paris map in the center.

Item No: #364062

Price: $1,250