1877 Eastern and Western Hemispheres
Antarctica appears here as a thin, mostly unnamed coastline, believed at the time to be flat. Africa’s interior sits nearly blank. This map captures the world as Victorian Britain understood it, with imperial Europe drawn large and the Americas already close to their modern outlines.
The original was drawn by Stanford’s Geographical Establishment and published under the direction of the Committee of General Literature and Education appointed by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and the National Society. Countries carry the soft pastel washes of hand colouring, with borders picked out in stronger tones.
- Stereographic projection, with latitude and longitude ruled at 10 degree intervals
- Hachures for mountain ranges, plus ocean currents and trade winds
- Border frames marking the tropical zones and the position of the sun
- Side panels showing six projections, including Mercator’s, and globe gores at equator scale
- Panels of the continents seen from both poles and cross sections of principal continental elevations
Reproduced by Stanfords from a high resolution archive scan. Map Shop offers it on paper, laminated, mounted to foam core, or framed in black or walnut molding, a natural fit for a study, library, or history classroom wall.

