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Pub Year	Map Maker	Pub Place	Map Title	Map Price (USD)	Picture
1860	Johnson & Browning	New York	Colton's Washington and Oregon	$175	Picture

A lithograph with hand colored wash, including a highly decorative border formerly associated with J.H. Colton atlases.

Size: Approximately 33cm x 41cm (13 inches x 16.1 inches) Scaled 1 inch = 25 miles.

Map Type: Atlas

This is a superior copy, with vivid colors.

Joseph Colton began his publishing company in 1830 and became known around the world for the best grade of geographical publications. In 1860, perhaps struggling with financial difficulties, and with a new world atlas almost completed, Colton struck a somewhat mysterious deal with Alvin Jewitt Johnson, selling his engraved plates and General Atlas copyrights. Johnson & Browning immediately updated them with themselves named as publishers and "successors to J.H.Colton and Company" for the General Atlas.

Taken from Johnson's New Illustrated Family Atlas, With Descriptions, Geographical, Statistical, and Historical, this map is uncommon as it was published for a very short period. The strong decorative border used by Colton is still present in this version published by Johnson & Browning, an indication that this map was published almost immediately after the acquisition from Colton.

In 1862, Johnson & Browning introduced a "steel plate" version of this atlas and the decorative border changed. By 1865, the Colton name had been removed from all of Johnson's publications.

The eastern half of Oregon is mostly wilderness and the proposed northern route of the Pacific Rail Road is illustrated on this interesting early map of the west. Oregon enters statehood just as this map is being published.

References: A List of Geographical Atlases in the Library of Congress, #827, Phillips, P.L, Government Printing Office, Washington; American Maps and Mapmakers, page 325, Ristow, George, Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1985