DESCRIPTION: William H. Whitney was a very early adopter of the "blue process" or blueprinting . Both this trace and the blueprint produced from this trace were created by Whitney just 4 years after the earliest recorded use of blueprints for his Boston-based civil engineering firm.
This rare artifact is the original manuscript cadastral ink trace on tracing cloth from September 22, 1885 providing plan detail for a portion of the Boston Back Bay on Beacon and Marlborough Streets and Commonwealth Avenue west of West Chester Park (Massachusetts Avenue) and east of Ipswich Street (Charlesgate East). This trace would have been used as the reproducible master source to create one or more blueprints, then a new reprographic technology.
With Fuller & Whitney's ink oval over stamp. MS number in pencil at bottom right: "1277".
Fuller and Whitney
Back Bay Engineers (1872- 1888)
From 1872 to 1888, Fuller & Whitney Civil Engineers thrived as a partnership between J. Franklin Fuller and William H. Whitney. In 1888, Whitney assumed sole proprietorship, boldly renaming the firm "William H. Whitney" to reflect his visionary leadership.
 1881 MS Trace Fuller and Whitney Ad and Order Form
(not included)
In his autobiography Whitney refers to his work with the latest cutting-edge reprographic technology- blueprinting: “In September 1881 I received a bronze medal at the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association Exhibit for sun or blue prints. I developed a process from the French and used it in illustrating the growth of Back Bay lands. I issued to subscribers monthly schedules and maps showing the changes of ownership, increase in value, improvement by filling and public works.” (The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Vol 64, January 1910. Number 253. p. lix)
PUBLICATION DATE: 1885
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States
BODY OF WATER: N/A
CONDITION: Very good.
No condition issues. Clean. Ample margins.
COLORING: N/A
ENGRAVER:
SIZE: 13
" x
15 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 86
PRICE: $500
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