JAMES WYLD, CAPT.GRINDLAY'S ORIGINAL SLIPCASE
A LARGE COLOURED MAP OF INDIA, FOLDED
Year: 1843
Size: 26 x 38.7 inches (Map Size)
Map Case Size: 5.3 x 9 inches
Year: 1843
Map Size: 66.3 x 98.3 cm (26 x 38.7 inches)
Map Case Size: 13.5 x 23.2 cm (5.3 x 9 inches)
This rare early edition of Wyld’s Map of India is an exceptionally detailed and historically significant cartographic work, created to illustrate the administrative and military dominance of the British East India Company across the Indian subcontinent.
The map also includes a comprehensive distance table and highlights major transportation routes, political boundaries, and key government offices information essential for travellers and officers of the East India Company.
The map draws on data from the Great Trigonometric Survey of India (1802–1870), which mapped nearly the entire subcontinent to exceptionally high scientific standards using systematic trigonometric methods. By the 1840s, most of India had been surveyed, with only parts of the Himalayas and the far northeast remaining. As a result, the map achieves remarkable geographic accuracy for its time, showing British civil and military stations, collectorates, and zillahs, along with detailed tables of the area and population of British territories, allied and tributary states, and independent regions. Prepared under the direction of Robert Melville Grindlay, a noted artist and EIC officer, this map stands as one of the most influential visual records of British India in the mid-19th century.
The map was intended “to serve to illustrate the Dispatches of the Duke of Wellington,” according to a note at the lower right corner. This refers to the military reports of Arthur Wellesley (1769–1852), who served in India before gaining fame as the commanding officer at Waterloo, where he led the defeat of Napoleon. He was later titled the 1st Duke of Wellington.
This particular copy of the Wyld Map of India is in remarkably sound condition. The map has been dissected and mounted on linen, a process that has effectively prevented tearing along the folds and ensured its durability. Hand-applied colour tinting enhances the clarity and visual appeal of territorial divisions. The map remains well-preserved within its original binder or case, which has provided additional protection for nearly two centuries. Together, these features contribute to the exceptional survival and presentation quality of this rare and historically important cartographic artifact.
Provenance : Collection of a Gentleman
This is an auction of pre-owned and old items. Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition and you should expect general wear and tear commensurate with age and use.
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This is an auction of pre-owned and old items. Many items are of an age or nature which precludes their being in perfect condition and you should expect general wear and tear commensurate with age and use.
We strongly advise you to examine items before you bid.
| Nickname | Amount(Rs) | Type | Date & Time(IST) | |
| 1 | anon0290 | 148500.00 | Regular | 27-11-2025 08:11:34 PM IST |