March 28, 1891 South America Map

[George Thomas Wilson]

The Volume III Pages 1-30 issue of National Geographic dated March 28, 1891 contains a map of South America.  It is listed as Vol. III Plate 1.

It is a multicolored map showing borders very similar to the one published in August 1906 albeit smaller in size (11 3/4" by 9 3/4").  These borders are far from the established borders of today.  One major difference between this map and the 1906 one is that Panama is still part of Colombia.  That revolution, which allowed us to build the Panama Canal, had not yet occurred.

I have 2 copies of this map, both 1964 reprints.  The first is in an individual issue while the second is in a bound volume.  The map is sideways, folded in two, and located between the front cover and page 1.  The width of the map is about 1/4" less than the height of the magazine.  In my bound copy the map lines up with the top of the pages while in the magazine the map lines up with the bottom of the pages.

A question for Phil: Is there any reason you left this map out of the new "all" supplements dataset that you and Mike developed?  Great job by the way.

[Philip Riviere]

Tom,

      I too have 2 reprint copies of that map that is a close copy of the Aug. 1906  map. We used Buxbaum's  list of maps and supplements as the main source for the  "new" list up through the early sixties. After that we used all the maps and supplements that were issued including the more recent perforated supplement pics. I have no idea why Buxbaum did not include that map onto his list. (maybe Melvin knows why). Lets see how this plays out. I can contact Mike at XYZ if  we want to add it.

Phil

 

[Mike Christie]

Thanks for spotting this -- I will be glad to add it.  I'll wait and see if Melvin knows a reason why it might not be considered a supplement, but for the "All supplements" list it seems reasonable to add it.

Mike

[Melvin L. De Vilbiss]

Mike,

If you look on page 8 of my personal supplement inventory (an inventory I have shared only with Mike in support of his efforts on the XYZ web site), you'll see the Vol. III, Number 1, Pl. 1 - Mar 28, 1891 map of "South America" listed.

I consider the map a supplement.

Also note, in blue letters near the bottom of page 8 of my personal inventory, I state that Buxbaum did not list all supplement titles through 1900 (I should have stated "MOST" instead of some). I have surmised, rightly or wrongly, that he considered the red brick maps to be bound within their respective issues, hence, not loose supplements.

Buxbaum did not include/exclude supplements consistent with my theory however, so I cannot say with confidence why exactly he included some maps in his listing and not others. For example, why would Volume IV, Number 2, Pl. 14 - March 21, 1892 "Muir Glacier Alaska" be considered a supplement and not the map of "South America" - the subject of this discussion?

Of the 27 loose supplements in my personal inventory for the 36 red brick issues (first six volumes), three of the loose supplements are most likely (I'm about 99% sure of this) loose ephemera which leaves 24 "actual" loose supplements (by my definition).

Of these 24 loose supplements, Buxbaum lists "ONLY" seven in his 3rd Edition: Vol. 1 Pl. 10.; Vol. III Pl. 21.; Vol. IV, Pl. 14. & Pl. 17.; Vol. V. Pl. 2., Pl.4. & Pl. 5.

Your guess, and Phil's and Tom's, are all as good as mine at this point. In this way, we can at least discuss this issue until we all grow old, aaaaahhh - older.

Regards to all!

Mel

[Mike Christie]

Thanks, Mel.

I've now added the South America map to the "All supplements" collection, though I don't have a picture of it -- if someone has uploaded a picture here somewhere, let me know.  If there are other supplements I don't have, and there's consensus here that they should be added, let me know.

Thanks

Mike

[George Thomas Wilson]

Thanks, Mike

Thanks for adding it so quickly.  Here's a pic, not the greatest but until you get something better.

Tom

[Mike Christie]

Beautiful!  I've uploaded it; a very nice pic -- and a beautiful map.

Thanks

Mike

[Philip Riviere]

Mike,

I've got one also .. I will upload it and you can choose the one you want...

Phil