The State of South Carolina: from the best Authorities, published in 1815 by Mathew Carey and engraved by W. Barker, captures the Palmetto State at a moment when American cartography embraced polish and ambition. Issued in the landmark atlas that first standardized color across its plates, the map’s full wash hues assign clear identity to each county, while a crisp network of roads, rivers, and town names narrates a fast-connecting state from the tidal ports to the Blue Ridge. Political boundaries and natural features share equal billing: Charleston and Columbia anchor civic life; Beaufort watches the sea islands; Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson survey the upcountry. The composition embodies the early republic’s confidence—orderly, brightly legible, and determined to translate a complex landscape into navigable knowledge.

Carey, the Irish-born Philadelphia publisher who championed an American voice in print culture, oversaw an atlas that elevated domestic mapmaking to European standards—and beyond. Here, his collaboration with the skilled engraver W. Barker yields an elegant Federal-era aesthetic: unembellished titlework, balanced typography, and fine linework that carries both authority and grace. Barker’s neat hatchures articulate uplands and mountain spurs, while delicate stippling and precise river engraving give the lowcountry a tactile sense of marsh and estuary. Standardized color, a pioneering decision for the 1815 edition, clarifies jurisdiction at a glance; in this plate, the saturated washes serve not only to separate counties but to dramatize the state’s unfolding administrative order as settlement moved inland and governance matured.

The geography is richly read through water. From the Savannah, marking the Georgia boundary, to the Santee and Pee Dee systems coursing toward the Atlantic, each river is named and traced as a living corridor of trade, timber, and grain. Upstream, the Broad, Saluda, Congaree, and Catawba braid together at the fall line, where Columbia—strategically placed—mediates between piedmont and tidewater. Northward, the Appalachian foothills rise in disciplined hatchure, distinguishing the Blue Ridge and guiding the eye toward Greenville and Spartanburg. Coastal strands show the familiar scallop of inlets and sounds that sustained Charleston and Beaufort’s maritime economies. Roads thread decisively across these physiographic zones, stitching backcountry farms to portside markets and revealing the practical itineraries by which early nineteenth-century South Carolinians moved goods, news, and influence.

Historically, this map speaks to a nation advancing on multiple fronts: administratively, by refining county boundaries; economically, by improving interior-coastal connectivity; and scientifically, by absorbing new survey standards. Though born of an atlas renowned for integrating insights from the Lewis and Clark era, the South Carolina plate showcases how those methodological advances—clearer symbology, disciplined shading, and consistent color—benefited the eastern states as well. Border delineations with North Carolina and Georgia are crisply resolved along river courses, reflecting a maturing legal geography. Notations of roads and towns record the young republic’s infrastructure priorities, from upland routes feeding cotton to the fall-line capital, to coastal arteries sustaining long-established mercantile power. The result is a document that balances heritage with progress, memorializing colonial legacies while charting a modernizing state.

The volume that once housed this map enjoyed distinguished provenance, having belonged to Dr. Thomas Chalkey James, a prominent Philadelphia physician and academic, and later preserved at the historic Dawesfield farmhouse. That lineage underscores the map’s dual appeal as both an artifact of early American scholarship and a window onto South Carolina’s evolving landscape. Connoisseurs will appreciate the sophisticated county palette, the exacting river nomenclature, and the measured restraint of Carey’s design, all hallmarks of the nation’s first standard-color atlas. For historians and collectors alike, it offers a rare synthesis: a precise political portrait, a lyrical rendering of terrain and water, and a tangible expression of the expanding, self-confident cartography of the early republic.

Cities and towns on this map

• Charleston
• Columbia
• Greenville
• Spartanburg
• Aiken
• Anderson
• Beaufort

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Multiple color-coded counties, each outlined to signify distinct political boundaries.
• Major rivers and waterways are labeled, showcasing the physical geography.
• Topographical details, such as the Appalachian mountains in the north.
• Nearby significant landmarks relevant to political history during the early 19th century.
• Roads connecting various towns and regions, indicating routes of travel and trade.

Historical and design context

• Map Title: The State of South Carolina: from the best Authorities
• Creator/Publisher: Mathew Carey, Engraved by W. Barker
• Year of Publication: 1815
• Significance of the 1815 Edition: This was the first atlas produced in the United States to employ standard color on maps, marking a significant evolution in cartographic practices.
• Technological Advancement: The 1815 edition reflects updated geographical details influenced by the Lewis and Clark expeditions, showcasing new cartographic techniques and illustrations.
• Artwork Style: The map is presented in full original wash color, which distinguishes it from standard outline color maps found in most copies.
• Provenance: Previously owned by Dr. Thomas Chalkey James, who was a noted Philadelphia physician and academic; the atlas was preserved in the historic Dawesfield farmhouse.
• Historical Context: Represents the growing ambition of the United States in territorial mapping amidst changing political boundaries and claims, significant during early American expansion.
• Cartographic Features: The designs illustrate both political and physical aspects of the region, reflecting land claims and exploration at the time.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.