U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey
1853

Western Coast of U.S. San Francisco to San Diego

SOLD

Reconnaissance of the Western Coast of the United States San Francisco to San Diego by the Hydrographic Party under the command of Lieut. James Alden U.S.N. Assist.

DESCRIPTION: SOLD

Fascinating old antique nautical chart of the western coast of California focused on the coastline between San Francisco and San Diego, California. Includes Los Coronados (Coronado Islands), San Clemente Island, Alcatraz Island, San Nicholas Island, Point Loma, Point Conception and many other geographic locations.

The antique chart was produced by the U.S. Coast Survey in 1853, a time when the United States Pacific coastal states were lightly populated (by settlers). In fact, one of the settlements noted above San Diego in a wide coastal plain is referred to on the map as "El Pueblo de Los Angeles". That settlement had been created by the Spanish only in 1781.

Noted habitations include Monterrey, the Mission of Carmel, San Diego, and San Francisco. The chart is decorated with 17 decorative nicely-engraved coastal profile views including Catalina Harbor, Moro Rock, Point Sur, and the Entrance to San Francisco Bay.

This is a scarce, separately issued, rolled chart of the California coast, not one of the common folded versions on thin paper that were issued with other charts in an annual report to Congress from the Coast Survey.

This antique chart was printed in 1853 from an electrotype copy of the original hand-engraved copper plate, a process the U.S. Coast Survey adopted around 1850. As a soft medium, copper plates could only withstand print runs of perhaps 200 copies before the plates wore down. To enable larger print runs, a mold of the original plate was created in wax or another soft medium. Then, using an electro-chemical processs ( electrotyping ), the mold was coated with a metal layer, typically copper. Printers were then able to produce output from the new electrotype copper copy, while preserving the original. Electrotype copy no. 10. Sheet size 30"x30". Scale 1 / 1,200,000.

CREATOR: U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey

PUBLICATION DATE: 1853

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: Pacific Ocean

CONDITION: Good. On medium weight paper with no holes, tears, stains or other issues. Moderate age-toning of the paper. Very wide margins.

COLORING: None

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 22 " x 22 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 0

PRICE: $

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