1921 Washington, D.C Bird's Eye View, by William Olsen, Vintage Map

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1921 Washington, D.C Bird's Eye View, by William Olsen, Vintage Map

About the Item

This is a fabulous bird's-eye view that shows Washington D.C. in amazing detail. Every building is individually drawn, and all roads are shown and named. The view is from the Capitol and the Library of Congress looking north into rural areas of the District and Maryland. Many important buildings and monuments are named directly on the map. Some of the important government buildings illustrated in three dimensions, include the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution (comprised of the Smithsonian Castle, the Arts and Industries Building, and the National Museum of Natural History), several buildings occupied by the War Department and the Navy Department, and the Executive Mansion. Three of the city's universities - George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Howard University- are also identified. At bottom is an artfully drawn title that reads, "Washington. The Beautiful Capitol of the Nation." Prominently drawn at top is a stunning spread eagle. The eagle’s right talon clutches an olive branch. The eagle's left (sinister) talon holds a bundle of crossed arrows. When Charles Thomson put together the final design for the Great Seal, the official description describes the bald eagle holding "in his sinister, a bundle of thirteen arrows." The thirteen arrows are tightly aligned – a symbol of "strength in unity" that can be found in traditional cultures everywhere, from the Romans to the Iroquois. In this case, the bundle is a nod to the unity of the original thirteen colonies. This view is unusual and appears late in the bird's-eye view-making tradition. It was produced by William Olsen and printed by the A.B. Graham Company in 1921. This view is scarce on the market and is presented here in its first edition. It was reissued in 1922 by the Columbia Planograph Company and, again for the third time, on a much smaller scale in 1923. Condition: This map is an original lithographic bird's eye view from 1921. The paper has minimal toning in margins. Some rubbing and minor surface loss to paper, all of which has been stabilized. Some fold lines visible and toning at fold lines. The lithograph has later hand-coloring, in attractive hues of green, blue, pink, and red. This bird's-eye view is artfully and archivally presented in an custom-built black and gold wooden frame. Framed dimensions: 34" H x 50" W x 1 1/2" D.

Dimensions:
Height: 34 in (86.36 cm)Width: 50 in (127 cm)Depth: 1.5 in (3.81 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1920-1929
Date of Manufacture:
1921
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages.
Seller Location:
Colorado Springs, CO
Reference Number:
Seller: M2571stDibs: LU909714009882