Lot 134
Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden (American, 1829-1887). "Geological and Geographical Atlas of Colorado and Portions of Adjacent Territory" (Washington D.C. and New York: Department of the Interior United States Geographical Survey; Julius Bien & Co., 1877). First Edition. A monumental achievement of American exploration and science, this first edition of Hayden's "Geological and Geographical Atlas of Colorado" captures the spirit of discovery that defined the post-Civil War era. Bound in its original 1877 government-issued covers with brown paper boards, leather spine and corners, and a gilt-stamped leather title label, the volume stands as both an object of scholarship and a work of art. Its marbled endpapers and elephant-folio scale underscore its grandeur, while inside unfold twenty extraordinary folding sheets - eighteen maps and charts, and two sweeping panoramic views - that reveal the rugged beauty and geological complexity of the American West. Size: 20" L x 1.25" W x 27" H (50.8 cm x 3.2 cm x 68.6 cm)
The atlas is divided into two complementary series: four large-scale maps depicting the entirety of Colorado at twelve miles to the inch, and twelve detailed sheets - six topographical and six geological - mapped at four miles to the inch. Together, these plates present the results of the U.S. Geological Survey's ambitious fieldwork from 1873 through 1876, charting not only Colorado but also adjoining reaches of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Produced under the direction of Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden and printed by the esteemed Julius Bien & Co., this atlas represents the culmination of one of the most important scientific surveys in American history. Its precise cartography and striking color lithography transformed how the young nation understood its western territories - revealing the mineral wealth, dramatic topography, and vast potential of a landscape still on the edge of the known world. A landmark in both science and art, Hayden's atlas remains one of the most visually and intellectually magnificent documents of 19th-century American exploration.
About the author: Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden was an American geologist and explorer whose surveys helped shape the scientific and national understanding of the American West. Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, in 1829, Hayden first trained as a physician, earning his medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1853. His fascination with the natural world led him westward under the mentorship of New York State Geologist James Hall, embarking on expeditions through the Nebraska Territory and the Missouri River basin to collect fossils and study the region's geology.
During the Civil War, Hayden served as a surgeon for the Union Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Afterward, his passion for fieldwork drew him back to the frontier. In 1867, he was appointed geologist-in-charge of the United States Geological and Geographical Survey of the Territories, leading a series of ambitious government-funded expeditions across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.
His most famous survey, conducted in 1871, explored the Yellowstone region of Wyoming. With a team that included painter Thomas Moran and photographer William Henry Jackson, Hayden documented the area's geothermal wonders and breathtaking landscapes. His official report and the images that accompanied it played a crucial role in persuading Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872.
Over a lifetime of exploration, Hayden produced an extraordinary body of scientific reports and atlases, uncovering fossils, mapping vast territories, and deepening geological knowledge of the western United States. He served as professor of geology at the University of Pennsylvania and was elected to numerous scientific societies in America and Europe. Hayden died in Philadelphia in 1887, leaving behind a legacy immortalized in place names across the American West, including Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park.
Provenance: private Colorado, USA collection; private collection of a private Colorado Family
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#196656
- Condition: Some wear and a fair amount of rubbing to cloth with edges of cover slightly bent. Some discoloring and foxing to pages, but maps are vibrant and text and images are very clear. Otherwise, in very good overall condition.
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