Description

BACKGROUND: At this time Washington was still in the early stages of development and not scheduled to become the seat of government until 1800.  However, it was featured in several European publications such as this almanac with the hope of attracting investors. Meanwhile, the public became familiar with Washington through many descriptive articles and variations of the two early engravings of L’Enfant’s plan in books, magazines, gazetteers, atlases, and almanacs. Many if not most of these were skillfully ‘planted’ to catch the eye of people with cash or credit to invest in lots (Ristow.)

PUBLICATION DETAILS: Imprint: Gotha bey C. W. Ettinger. (Gotha, Germany by C. W. Ettinger, 1794).  2 ¼”w x 4”h.  German text.  This is an almanac prepared in 1794 for the year 1795. Engraving by Johann Georg Klinger n. Weidner), 1794.  One of the first plans of Washington published in Europe.  Based on the L’Enfant/Ellicott plan.  Also published as a supplement to the “Almanac de Gotha”.

MAP: Plan de la ville de Washington en Amérique. Map is 7 ¾”w x 6 ¼”h.    This is the first map of Washington printed in French.  The map is a reduction of the Philadelphia Plan by Thackara and Vallance, 1792.  Drawn by I.G.A. Weidner.  The map is near the front of the almanac following a portrait of Wichard Joachim Henri de Moellendorf.  Pages 95 to 98 of the almanac are devoted to a description of Washington, DC.  No engraver, date or page number is shown on this version of the map.

NOTE: This is a German book with a French map bound in and described.

CONDITION:  Binding worn at corners. Most of the spine covering worn away. Faint manuscript on front pastedown and first fly leaf.  Contents very good.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Phillips, List of Maps in the Library of Congress, page 1005;
Phillips, Maps and Views of Washington and District of Columbia, similar to PW 31;
 Ristow, Walter W. Library of Congress, A la Carte, Selected Papers on Maps and Atlases. Washington, p. 136.