1834 S.D.U.K. Map of North India, Nepal, and Allahabad

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Title:    India X.

Description:    This map is a steel plate engraving, dating to 1838 and published by the S.D.U.K. or “The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge”. It is officially entitled “India X” and depicts northern India and Nepal in considerable detail. Map extends as far south as the important Ganges religious center of Benares and as far north as Tibet and Chinese Tartary. Nepal is completely shown including important cities and centers such as Katmandu, Gorkha and Pokhara.

Date:    1834

Source:    Maps of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Vol1. 1844.

References:    Rumsey 0890.104.

Cartographer:    The "Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge" was founded in 1828 at the instigation of idealistic British lord Henry Peter Brougham. The admirable goal of the Society was to distribute useful information via a series of publications to the English working and middle classes. It promoted self-education and the egalitarian sharing of all knowledge. While closely tied to the London University and publishing houses on the order of Baldwin & Cradock and Charles Knight, the society failed to achieve its many lofty goals in finally closed its doors in 1848. Nonetheless, it did manage to publish several extraordinary atlases of impressive detail and sophistication. Their most prominent atlas consisted of some 200 separately issued maps published by Baldwin and Cradock and sold by subscription from 1829 to 1837. Afterwards, the Society combined the maps into a single World Atlas published under the Chapman and Hall imprint. In its day, this atlas was unprecedented in its quality, scope, and inexpensiveness. Today Society, or S.D.U.K. as it is commonly known, maps are among the most impressive examples of mid 19th century English mass market cartographic publishing available. The S.D.U.K. is especially known for its beautiful and accurately detailed city plans. Click here for a list of rare maps from The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.

Size:   Printed area measures 15 x 12 inches (38.1 x 30.48 centimeters)

Condition:    Very good condition. Blank on verso. Minor toning.

Code:   IndiaX-sduk-1834 (Necessary for phone inquiries: 646-320-8650)