• Title : Carte Administrative et Physique de la France indiquant Les Canaan Les Riviers Navigable les routes, le Chemis de fer avec leurs stations Dresee par A.H. Dufour Gravee Par CH Dyonnet 1857
• Ref #:  61029
• Size: 62in x 46in (1.5m x 1.15m)
• Date : 1857
• Condition: (A) Very Good Condition

Description: 
This scarce very large elephant folio 4 sheet - joined - hand coloured original map of France was engraved by Charles Dyonnet in 1857 - dated in the title - for Adolphe Hippolyte Dufour's monumental elephant folio Atlas Physique, Historique et Politique Geographie Moderne published by Pauline Et La Chevalier, Paris.

This  uncommon elephant folio map is huge measuring overall 62in x 46in (1.5m x 1.15m) and is incredibly detailed. The map covers the whole of France including Corsica and parts of Spain, Germany and Switzerland.
The first sheet (top left in image) represents north-western France and includes two insets of Nantes and Rouen. The second sheet (top right) represents north-eastern France with an inset of Paris and its environs. The bottom right sheet depicts the south-eastern portions of France and includes two insets, one featuring Marseille and the other featuring Lyon. The last sheet on the bottom left is of southwest France.
An inset on Bordeaux is included and throughout illustrates roads, canals, railways, rivers, cities and other topographical features are noted.

Adolphe Hippolyte Dufour (1795 - 1865), also known as Auguste-Henri Dufour, was a Paris based map and atlas publisher active in the middle to late 19th century. Dufour claimed to be a student of another French cartographer, Emile Lapie. He is known to have worked with numerous other cartographers, publishers and engravers of the period including Charles Dyonnet and Duvotenay. His corpus includes numerous maps and atlases, the most striking of which is probably his monumental elephant folio Atlas Universel physique, historique et politique geographie ancienne et moderne. Dufour's student and successor was Alexandre Vuillemin. 

Charles Dyonnet (fl. c. 1822 - c. 1880) was an extremely active Paris based engraver working in the mid to late 19th century. From his offices at 220 Rue St. Jacques, Paris, Dyonnet engraved numerous maps for many of the most prominent 19th French cartographic publishers including Vuillemin, Dufour, Fremin and Duvotenay. From 1850-1861, he held the coveted position of "Graveur du Dépot de la Marine," and in this position engraved numerous French naval and military maps. Dyonnet had a detail oriented and aesthetically minded hand and is responsible from some of the most beautiful French maps to emerge during the 19th century. (Ref: M&B; Tooley)

General Description:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy & stable
Paper color: - White
Age of map color: - Original 
Colors used: - Yellow, red, green, blue
General color appearance: - Authentic 
Paper size: - 62in x 46in (1.5m x 1.15m)
Paper size: - 62in x 46in (1.5m x 1.15m)
Margins: - Min 1in (24mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - None
Plate area: - Top NE sheet age toning
Verso: - Soiling