Questions about Post-1980 National Geographic Map Supplements

[stephen zamarin]

I have some questions about the following map supplements. Did Roger Nathan ever list any of the Making of America or Making of Canada historical map supplements as being revised or reprinted? At least 2 of the Making of America maps had errors on them. Also, were the Making of Canada supplements of Ontario, Prairie Provinces, and The North ever sold as rolled plastic sales versions? Finally, was the July 1991 map of China was sold as a double-sided supplement or were the maps split and sold separately?

Steve

[Jeffry Persons]

Steve,

My name is Jeff Persons and I think I can answer your questions.  I won't be able to check with Roger's list until tonight.

The only Making of America/ Canada map that was revised was Atlantic Canada 11/1993 (original date was 10/93).  The Making of Canada supplements that you listed were never sold as rolled plastic versions.

The July 1991 map of China was sold one-sided and rolled.  The Map of China was revised 11/94, 2002 and 2003 one-sided and rolled.  The Descriptive text was revised and sold rolled 1994 and 1997.  It was not sold one-sided in 7/91.  I will check with Roger's listing tonight.

Jeff

[Philip Riviere]

Jeff,

The July 1991 map of China was Double sided with a political map on one side and   cultural maps on other side.

[stephen zamarin]

Hi Jeff,

I was re-reading the old posts and was wondering how come the 1993 Atlantic Canada Making of Canada map was revised? Was there a mistake on the map originally that was later corrected?

Stephen

[Jeffry Persons]

Steve,

Roger makes no mention of these three  questions that you bring up.  I do have copies in my collection  that I mentioned before.  The July 1991 map was issued single sided as well as double sided.  The single sided version (political) was printed on canvas not paper as the double sided version.  They were sent out rolled with no folds.  I am going from my data base, but will see if I can find that map; I have many maps and many places to look.

Jeff

[stephen zamarin]

       Thank you Jeff for getting back to me on the questions I asked about. So none of the Making of America maps were ever reprinted or revised as sales versions after the series ended in 1988. I know the geopolitical side of all 17 of the Making of America series maps were revised as Guide Maps to U.S. History in the the deluxe version of the United States history atlas that was published in 1988. These maps had indexes printed on them. As far as I know, indexes were never issued for any of the Making of America maps proper.

   As for the Making of Canada series:  Ontario, Prairie Provinces, and The North maps were never sold as sales versions at all? If so, could it have been because of the financial trouble the magazine went through during the 1990's? I don't think indexes were issued for any of the Making of Canada maps either. What was the difference with the November 1993 revision of the Atlantic Canada map compared to the original map?

   The 1991 map of China information is very interesting. When you say descriptive notes you are referring to the history/culture/population side of the map? The later revision probably was due to the return of Hong Kong to the Chinese in 1997.  I'm sure I will have more questions about other post-1980 maps besides the ones I have previously mentioned.

thanks again,

Steve

     

[stephen zamarin]

Jeffrey,

Did you or Roger Nathan ever note changes in the sales versions map supplements. An example would be the February 1980 Africa/Its Political Development map. When it was first sold, it was sold as a double-sided paper-rolled map supplement. By the mid-1980's, though, it was sold as a double-sided plastic-rolled map supplement. The 5 digit code numbers for both maps were different. There probably were other map supplements that ended up that way.

[Jeffry Persons]

Steve,

Roger makes no mention of this in his revised notes. Prior to 1985 there were very few maps that were produced in plastic.  The map you mentioned was not available until 1985 in the double-sided plastic version.  The February 1980 version was available in paper as well a chart paper and canvas, it was revised in 1988 and printed in canvas.  Of note, there was also a version in 1980 that was only dated 1980, dropping the February.  There were many maps that ended up a you state.  The hard part that I found in dealing with the Society is they never let you know when a map was revised or reprinted as well as which format they used.

Jeff

[stephen zamarin]

Jeffrey,

I think the double-sided Africa map from 1980 I have was from 1988. The 5 digit code number matched the 1984-85 version of the map. One sneaky way to revise a map supplement was to change the names and titles of the people who worked on the maps. (example Gilbert M. Grosvenor was President and Chairman after 1987, but on the original 1980 Africa map he would have been just an editor.)  In collecting the sales versions another changed map I encountered was the West Indies and Central America/Tourist Islands of the West Indies map from February 1981. Like the 1980 Africa supplement, this one was a double-sided paper-rolled map. Around 1986, it was changed to a plastic-rolled double-sided map. In 1994, that map had a limited revision. Another mystery was the sales version map of The Face and Faith of Poland map from 1982. By 1984, that map was no longer available for sale. What I am trying to do is to have a collection of all the sales versions of the map supplements issued for the magazine as well as ones that were not. (example Greece and the Aegean 1980).