first edition Hardcover
1847 · Toronto
by (William H. Smith)
Toronto: H. Rowsell, 1847. Map. Very Good. Cloth. First Thus. Cover title - Smith's Travelling Map of Canada West. There were four issues of Smith's Canadian Gazetteer published in 1846, with two issues of the map, the first issue having a date of 1846 and the second dated 1847. The earlier, printed by a lithographic process, and dated 1846, is without imprint, while the later, from a copper plate, has the date 1847, and the imprint, Published by H. Rowsell, Toronto. An advertisement in the first issue announced that Smith's Pocket Commercial and Travelling Map of Canada West was in process of engraving on copper and would be put up in stiff covers. Thus this is the First Pocket Edition of this map.Original dark brown cloth boards with gilt lettering top cover, Near Very Good, the boards with some staining and top cover separated from rear coverand spine, the cloth at spine present. The map with has a 4" tear at fold and two smaller tears at folds, a small chip missing along fold over U.S portion of the map, verso of the map has a series of mathematical calculations in pencil, a few small edge tears and chips/creases. Table of Distances at front paste down is Fine. The boards measure 3 5/8" x 5 5/8", the map measures 15 3/4" x 21 3/8". Scale showing British Statute Miles and Geographical Miles. Toronto is named at Eastern edge, Lake Huron and Detroit at Western edge, Cleveland and Bay of Sandusky to the South, and Lake Nippissing to the North. The map shows boundaries of districts and townships, roads, district towns, and other towns and villages. Canada West, in Canadian history, is the region in Canada now known as Ontario. From 1791 to 1841 the region was known as Upper Canada and from 1841 to 1867 as Canada West, though the two names continued to be employed interchangeably. The author, in his preface to this work which he claims to be the first gazetteer of Canada ever attempted, makes the statement: "I have spared neither trouble, expense, nor personal fatigue; and, in the course of my travels, I have walked over more than three thousand miles of ground, through both the heats of summer and the snows of winter. ..." He hoped by spreading accurate information to prevent immigration from being diverted from Canada to the United States. This Pocket Edition of the map is RARE, no auction results found at RareBookHub, the pocket edition not listed at OCLC. The Canadian Government Collection has a copy that appears to have the map and just the front cover. Sabin 84780 ( for the Gazeteer).
(Inventory #: 010356)