Germany North of the Mayn [and] Germany South of the Mayn

Beautiful pair of hand colored maps showing the extent of the German Confederation shortly after the Congress of Vienna.

Though the title reminds one of the modern-day country, at the time of publication the concept of Germany was affiliated with the German Confederation, rather than the independent sovereign nation. The large territory stretched from the North Sea to Austria and was comprised of approximately 40 member states (the number varied with time) loosely allied for mutual defense.

This map shows ‘Germany’ just a few years after its initial creation from the ashes of Napoleon’s Confederation of the Rhine at the Congress of Vienna. Two sheets divide the various member states along the River Main, with only the largest highlighted in hand color. Several enclaves, labeled as parts of Salzburg, can be seen in the southern half.

The maps were originally designed by Scottish cartographer John Pinkerton. As part of the Edinburgh School of Cartography (which included the likes of John Cary and John Thomson), Pinkerton was responsible for creating some of the most highly detailed and precise atlas maps of the early 19th century.

Today, his maps are prized for their size, color, and wealth of information. This particular example was included in the American edition of Pinkerton’s Modern Atlas, published in Philadelphia by Thomas Dobson in 1818.