Osgood Carleton U.S. Wall Map, ca. 1806
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GUEST:
I've had them probably since the late '50s. A girlfriend that I had at the time, her father gave them to me. And I was kind of surprised, because the one you chose was really in the worst condition of the three.
APPRAISER:
Yes, that, that is true, but the reason for that is because it's the earliest of the three. Wall maps are amongst the rarest maps because they hung on walls, water would get them, people would point at them and tear them, things like that. Wall maps really came around in the middle of the 19th century. This one is even earlier than that, and it's because it's so early, especially for an American wall map, that it has the real interest. This is, in fact, one of the earliest wall maps of the United States, and it was done by a man named Osgood Carleton, and Osgood Carleton was one of the first professional American cartographers and did a number of maps, including, in 1791, a wonderful wall map of the United States. He then updated it later, and this is from the updated map. This is from around 1806. His information, especially in New England, which is where he studied...
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
...and where he did most of his work, is very, very detailed, very up to date. But what's interesting for collectors is the frontier, and the frontier is more over in this area at that time, and that's what people are interested in. You add that to the fact that being a wall map from that early a date, it's very, very rare. Now, condition: obviously, a really big issue with this map.
GUEST:
Yeah, yeah.
APPRAISER:
It is fixable. You are missing some surface, if you look up in this area especially...
GUEST:
Oh, right, yeah.
APPRAISER:
Where it's gotten worn. But there's really not much printed information. You've got areas like this, but I think those can probably be put back down. In this kind of condition, it would actually be hard to sell it. If I had to sell it in this condition, I'd probably put $5,000 to $6,000. If you fix it up, and that would probably cost you maybe $1,500 to $2,000 tops, it's worth at least $8,000 to $10,000, possibly over $10,000.
GUEST:
(laughs)
APPRAISER:
Depending on how it comes. Now, if it was in perfect shape, you're talking about, maybe, $16,000 map.
GUEST:
Wow, I, I had no idea. (laughs) I'm floored. (laughing) I almost didn't bring it, I...
APPRAISER:
Well, I'm really pleased you did. (laughs)
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