Antique Whimsical Map of San Diego, California by Jo Mora for Marston Stores

View Similar Items

Large Original Antique Map of California, USA, circa 1900

"San Francisco, Upper California” 1851 Antique Map of San Francisco

Antique Map of Puerto San Julian in Patagonia, 1749

Antique Map of Baja California and parts of Alta California, Arizona and Sonora

Antique Map of America with California as an Island by Homann '1710'

1847 Antique Map of Mexico, Texas and California by Samuel Augustus Mitchell

Original Antique Map of the Western Part of NEW MEXICO & CALIFORNIA

Antique Map of Part of the United States Including Lower California & Arizona

Antique Map of California, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico & Arizona '1872'

Antique Map of the World with California as an Island, 1788

Beautiful Antique Map of the Northern Hemisphere with California as an Island

Antique Miniature Map of the Western Hemisphere, with California as an Island

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 17

Antique Whimsical Map of San Diego, California by Jo Mora for Marston Stores

About the Item

Antique whimsical map of San Diego, California by Jo Mora for Marston Stores, circa 1928. The rare map itself measures 22" x 27" and is presented in its original thin wood frame measuring 25.25" x 30.5". The map and frame are in fair to poor condition with a number of stains, blotches folds and wrinkles (please see pictures). The frame also has some damage to it. It is a very, very rare map with only 2,000 copies ever made. #1968 Jo Mora’s spectacular pictorial map of San Diego; an historical account of the city of San Diego, created by the brilliant and incomparable Jo Mora in 1928. George Marston, owner of the Marston Department Store, commissioned Mora to create one of his signature cartes, with San Diego as the subject matter, for the 50th ‘Golden’ Anniversary of The Marston Company. As a prominent philanthropist and benefactor of the city, George W. Marston eventually earned the unofficial title of “San Diego’s First Citizen”. It has been suggested that Mora and Marston probably met at the Bohemian Grove. George Marston ordered only 2,000 copies of Mora’s map to be printed — as commemorative gifts, after which the plates were destroyed. The map consists of a centerpiece bird’s-eye view of the San Diego Bay and the Pacific coastline from La Jolla to Tijuana, surrounded by a decorative border, made of dozens of inset illustrations, depicting historical figures, events and landmarks. The entire carte is sprinkled with vignettes of humorous and whimsical drawings with captions, related to the history of San Diego and southern California. (One such drawing shows Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, the discoverer of San Diego Bay, perched in a crow’s nest atop of the mainmast of his ship, looking over downtown San Diego, exclaiming: “Caramba! You’d never know the old place now.”).

Creator:
A. Marston & Co. (Retailer),Jo Mora (Artist)
Dimensions:
Height: 30.5 in (77.47 cm)Width: 25.25 in (64.14 cm)Depth: 0.5 in (1.27 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Early 20th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1928
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. The map and frame are in fair condition with a number of stains, blotches and wrinkles (please see pictures).
Seller Location:
San Diego, CA
Reference Number:
Seller: #19681stDibs: LU936626520402