PBA Galleries

J.H. Colton Co. Autograph Letter Signed. 1pg. To J.O.Crosby, Garnavillo, Clayton County, Iowa. With elaborate advertising envelope for Colton, “Publishers of Geographical and Statistical Works”,  No. 172 William St., New York

Lawyer James Ott Crosby decided to issue his Clayton County map without Colton’s assistance. The 16 x 20” map appeared that year in Garnavillo with Crosby as publisher, lithographed by Sage & Sons of Buffalo. The only known copies are at the University of Iowa and the Graff Collection at the Newberry Library. Surprisingly, it had competition: Another Clayton map was prepared and published that same year by a German-born local surveyor. 

"...In order to make a reliable estimate for work you wish done it is necessary to see the drawing as everything depends on the [amt.?] and style of the work and size of the map. We can do the work for you and at a fair price but can give you no idea of the cost till we have the draft. It will answer to send a tracing but much better for you to keep a tracing and send us the original and we can trace from the latter and engrave from our own tracing better than retrace from your tracing...if you are very particular to have everything right it is safer to send the original."