A rare Britton & Rey separate map of Baja California.
Map of Baja California: General Map Compiled by G. Eisen and F.H. Vaslit from U.S. Gov’t Hydrographic Charts, the Brandegee Map, and Other Sources.
Out of stock
Description
This scarce map of the Baja Peninsula was compiled by G. Eisen and F.H. Vaslit using U.S. government hydrographic charts and other sources. Cartophiles will note it as an unusual addition to the corpus of notable San Francisco printers Britton & Rey.
The map provides a detailed depiction of Baja California, spanning from Tijuana and the Colorado River Delta in the north to Cabo San Lucas in the south. It highlights the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) to the east, showcasing the peninsula’s geographic and coastal diversity.
The map emphasizes key routes, such as the distance from San Jose del Cabo to La Paz, reflecting its utility for explorers, sailors, and settlers.
Census
OCLC (Number 1237563200) lists holdings in only two institutions: UC Berkeley and Muséum national d’histoire naturelle in Paris.
Cartographer(s):
Britton & Rey (1852 – 1906) was a lithographic printing firm based in San Francisco and founded by Joseph Britton and Jacques Joseph Rey in 1852. Especially during the second half of the 19th century, Britton and Rey became the leading lithography firm in San Francisco, and probably California. Among their many publications were birds-eye-views of Californian cities, depictions of the exquisite landscapes, stock certificates, and no least maps. While Rey was the primary artist, Britton worked not only as the main lithographer but was essentially also the man running the business. In addition to their own material, the firm reproduced the works of other American artists like Thomas Almond Ayres (1816 – 1858), George Holbrook Baker (1824 – 1906), Charles Christian Nahl (1818 – 1878), and Frederick August Wenderoth (1819 – 1884). Following Rey’s death in 1892 Britton passed the form on to Rey’s son, Valentine J. A. Rey, who ran it until the great earthquake and fire of 1906 destroyed most of the company’s assets.
Joseph Britton (1825 – July 18, 1901) was a lithographer and the co-founder of the prominent San Francisco lithography studio Britton and Rey. He was also a civic leader in San Francisco, serving on the Board of Supervisors and helping to draft a new city charter. In 1852, he became active in lithography and publishing, first under the name ‘Pollard and Britton,’ and then ‘Britton and Rey,’ a printing company founded with his friend and eventual brother-in-law Jacques Joseph Rey. Britton and Rey became the premier lithographic and engraving studio of the Gold Rush era, producing letter sheets, maps, and artistic prints.
Jacques Joseph Rey (1820 – 1892) was a French engraver and lithographer born in the Alsatian town of Bouxwiller. At the age of about 30, he emigrated to America, eventually settling in California. Here, he soon entered into a partnership with local entrepreneur and civic leader Joseph Britton. Three years later, Rey also married Britton’s sister, allowing his business partner and brother-in-law Britton to live in their house with them. Rey and Britton were not only an important part of the San Francisco printing and publishing scene but also owned a plumbing and gas-fitting firm. In the early years, both men would sometimes partner up with others on specific projects, but by the late 1860s, their partnership was more or less exclusive.
Condition Description
Tears in margins. Two marginal areas of loss completed with infill.
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