The United States by early Geographical-Statistical Atlases: A comparison of Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas (Philadelphia, 1822) and Atlas von Amerika (Weimar, 1823–29)

In 1801, French exile E. de Las Cases (under the pseudonym 'Le Sage') published in London the Atlas historique, chronologique, gographique et gnalogique, which combined condensed historical and geographical data with maps.This novel concept was an instant and sustained commercial success that created a new class of atlases (and single sheet prints).Key characteristics of this new type of atlas were wide ranged yet (relatively) brief text paragraphs printed literally around the map instead of the backside or on other pages.The 1817 version of C.V. Lavoisne's Complete Genealogical, Historical, Chronological, And Geographical Atlas (London, first edition 1814), a world and history atlas based on Le Sage's principles, in 1820 was used by the Pennsylvania publisher Carey & Lea to style their Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas (Philadelphia 1822, re-issued 1823 and 1827).Revising the London edition, focusing on the Americas, and enlarging the content by several maps, this became one of the first commercially successful hand-colored atlases in the United States.The success of the new atlas type in France, the United Kingdom and in America prompted the leading German cartographic publisher, Geographisches Institut Weimar, to launch an emulation of the Carey & Lea atlas.Unlike the American edition of the British template, which both appeared as bounded atlases, the German atlas was released in instalments since 1823.The death of text author G. Hassel in 1829 stopped the release of further instalments, leaving the few custom bounded volumes (each of the known copies differs in