An Atlas of Rare City Maps: Comparative Urban Design, 1830-1842

by Melville C. Branch

The map-plans in this collection of forty cities in Europe, Russia, the United States, and Asia were first published in the mid- nineteenth century by England's Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. These maps were all commissioned and drawn within a period of thirteen years, presenting a unique opportunity to compare urban development among 40 cities in 19 countries at one moment in time. An exquisite feast for the eye, the hand-colored, hand-lettered steel engravings are artistic masterpieces in themselves, representative of an era of exceptional artisanal skill. They are reproduced here in fine detail in an oversized format.
The Atlas of Rare City Maps includes both well-known European and American cities such as Amsterdam, London, Madrid, Moscow, New York, and Venice, as well as smaller cities like Calcutta, Edinburgh, Hamburg, Lisbon, Marseille, Parma, and Stockholm. An introductory essay by Melville C. Branch discusses the historical evolution of urban design, and provides a background on engraving techniques. Branch also evaluates each map-plan, remarking on the details of each engraving and the evolution of the forms of the cities, their histories, and demographic characteristics.
This rare collection first appeared in its modern form twenty years ago in a limited edition (Arno Press); long out of print, this book has been much sought after by architects, urban planners, and map enthusiasts everywhere. Princeton Architectural Press is proud to make available once again this valuable resource.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

112 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

An educator, author and urban planner who taught at USC for many years and served on the Los Angeles Planning Commission through the 1960s, died Feb. 11. He was 94.

Branch died of complications from heart disease at his home in Pacific Palisades, his wife, Dr. Hilda Rollman-Branch, said.

A pioneer in his field, Branch was the first graduate student to earn a doctoral degree in regional planning at Harvard University, in 1949.

His theory on how to solve urban growth problems included a view from above. One of Branch's first books was "Aerial Photography in Urban Planning and Research," published in 1948. "Now aerial photography is commonplace in planning," Sloane said.

In 1950, he moved to Los Angeles, where he worked for eight years in the planning department at TRW, the corporate conglomerate known for technology-related products for the automotive, defense and aerospace industries.

He then taught at UCLA before joining the faculty at USC in 1966.

Melville Campbell Branch was born Feb. 16, 1913, in Richmond, Va.

He graduated from Princeton University and earned a master of fine arts degree at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in France in 1934.