[Minnesota State Atlas, Andreas DELUXE EDITION, 1874] Illustrated Historical Atlas of the State of Minnesota.
Chicago: A.T. Andreas. 1874. 18” x 15”. Lacking title page and first page of index. Otherwise complete. Note that pagination goes to 270 and then from 325 to 348, 365 to 394 which is how it was printed, not a gap in pages. Contains the three famous views. View of St. Paul has tears, view of Minneapolis has tape repair on back with staining that has bled over, view of Winona has slight tears and staining. Staining, tears, and some few tape repairs on pages throughout. Pages in overall ‘good’ to ‘very good’ condition. Significant rubbing to boards. Cloth covering on boards coming apart on spine and detached from page block.
The Andreas atlas is one of the most famous and well done state and county atlas from the end of the 19th century, a groundbreaking project in American cartographic history, both in its scope and in the innovative way it was produced. Alfred T. Andreas, a former Civil War veteran and map salesman, envisioned a new kind of atlas—one that combined detailed maps with rich illustrations and biographical sketches to capture the social, economic, and cultural fabric of an entire state.
Andreas began the project in 1873, when much of Minnesota was still unmapped and sparsely populated. From his Chicago office, he directed a team of over 100 employees, including mapmakers, artists, and salesmen, who traveled across the state to gather data and promote subscriptions. For $15, subscribers could have their names included in the atlas, and many paid extra to feature portraits, biographies, or illustrations of their homes and farms
The production was massive: it required 70 tons of paper, 17 tons of cardboard, and cost over $200,000—a huge sum at the time. Despite a poor wheat harvest that left many unable to pay, Andreas still managed to distribute around 10,000 copies, reaching about one in seven Minnesota households.
The deluxe edition of the 1874 Andreas Atlas of Minnesota was a special, limited-run version that included three large fold-out bird’s-eye views of St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Winona. It is considered much rarer than the standard atlas which lacks the views.
Satisfaction guaranteed or you can send it back!
