[BROADSIDE—U. S. POSTAL SYSTEM]. A Geographical View Of All The Post Towns In The United States of America And Their Distances From Each Other According To The Establishment of the Post Master General In the Year 1815. Anderston Printfield, near Glasgow: R. Gillespie, 1815.

Broadside, 21 1/4 x 24 1/4 in. PRINTED IN SEPIA ON CLOTH. With full decorative grapevine border, incorporating medallion portraits of Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Madison & other vignettes including sailing ships (4), the American Eagle (2), Lady Liberty, and the Seal of the United States. (Some minor staining and slight fading.) Stitch-mounted at edges to pasteboard. Matted and framed. Unexamined out of frame.

VERY RARE DECORATIVE BROADSIDE PRINTED ON CLOTH, detailing the postal road system in the United States at the time of the War of 1812. Includes three charts summarizing the American post road network. One of the large tables indicates distances between the post towns on the “Main Line” from Georgia to Maine. To the right, a chart shows the "Cross Post Roads,” giving distances along post roads crossing the main line and a statistical table. This broadside is drawn from on a 1796 version issued in Boston by Samuel Ruddock and engraved by Benjamin Callendar.

The printer, Robert Gillespie, was one of three sons of William Gillespie, Cotton Spinner and Calico Printer, who was active outside of Glasgow at the end of the 18th Century. One of his sons, Colin Gillespie, move to America and became a successful merchant. Colin's brother, Richard Gillespie, took over the calico printing business in 1808 or 1809. Threads of History, no. 47 & p. 67; Linda Eaton, Printed Textiles: British and American Cottons and Linens, 1700-1850, no. C344 (described as plate- or roller-printed handkerchief on cotton).

Property from The Western Union Company

[BROADSIDE—U. S. POSTAL SYSTEM]. A Geographical View Of All The Post Towns In The United States of America And Their Distances From Each Other According To The Establishment of the Post Master General In the Year 1815. Anderston Printfield, near Glasgow: R. Gillespie, 1815.