1947 The Pictorial Map of the Stamps of America Dedicated to Philatelists Everywhere
DESCRIPTION
This engaging pictorial map of the United States was designed, published, and signed by Ernest Dudley Chase in Winchester, Massachusetts in 1947. Dedicated to philatelists, the map presents the country as a visual catalogue of American postage stamps, with hundreds of miniature stamp illustrations arranged across the landscape and around the margins. Cities, states, and regions are paired with stamps that commemorate important people, places, and events, transforming the map into a graphic survey of American history as told through the nation’s postal issues.
A wide variety of historic U.S. stamps appear throughout the composition. Portrait stamps of presidents and early statesmen are prominently displayed, while others depict national monuments, historic buildings, exploration, and technological achievements. Particularly notable is the sweeping sequence of aviation themed stamps that arcs across the southern portion of the country from Arizona to Florida, tracing the development of flight and the importance of air mail in the twentieth century. Other issues highlight topics such as westward expansion, transportation, and national parks, illustrating how postage stamps served as miniature commemorations of American life and history.
The design of the map reinforces its philatelic theme. State boundaries are drawn with perforated edges, echoing the appearance of a sheet of postage stamps and visually tying the geography of the United States to the medium being celebrated. The outer border is likewise framed in a perforated stamp motif, while numerous stamps and small illustrations are arranged along the margins like a collector’s album page. At the center, a compass rose and radiating postal routes suggest the movement of mail and communication across the country.
Ernest Dudley Chase (1878–1966) was one of the most recognized American pictorial mapmakers of the twentieth century. Working from his studio in Winchester, Massachusetts, he produced more than fifty illustrated maps between the 1930s and the 1960s, often focusing on themes of history, transportation, and regional identity. His maps combine decorative illustration with educational content, blending cartography with storytelling. This example bears Chase’s signature in the lower left margin, a feature rarely found on maps he distributed directly from his studio.
CONDITION
1200 W. 35th Street #425 Chicago, IL 60609 | P: (312) 496 - 3622