In the Drawer: Map of New York

In the drawer this month, we find a map of New York City from 1879, which John has transformed into decoupage trays, postcards, and a jigsaw puzzle.

Map of New York, c. 1879 by J.W. Williams and commissioned by Rogers, Peet, & Co. Photo courtesy of David Rumsey Map Collection.
NYC

NYC

$340.00
The City of New York

The City of New York

$25.00
NYC

NYC

$100.00
NYC (p 19)

NYC (p 19)

$195.00
The City of New York

The City of New York

$19.95

The original is a bird’s-eye view of Manhattan, drawn by J.W. Williams for the Rogers, Peet & Co. department store. It predates the Brooklyn Bridge by four years, when Trinity Church was the tallest structure on the horizon. It was used as a promotional pocket map and traveler’s guide, "Stranger's Guide to New York", to attract customers to their retail stores.

Interior of Rogers, Peet & Co's "Stranger's Guide to New York", c. 1879, photo courtesy of George Glazer Gallery, NYC.

PS - Look closely and you'll even spot a sailboat in the harbor bearing the Rogers, Peet & Co. name, along with the store itself at 569–575 Broadway, proudly identified as "the exact center of the clothing trade in New York City."

A split image showing two vintage-style illustrations: on the left, a muted green sea scene with sailboats and a yellow sailboat labeled 'The Golden House'; on the right, an orange-brown city street scene with a building sign reading 'ROGERS PETTIE CLOTHIERS'. The rest of the frame is blank white space.
Detail from Map of New York, by J.W. Williams and commissioned by Rogers, Peet, & Co. Photo courtesy of David Rumsey Map Collection.
NYC Lady Liberty

NYC Lady Liberty

$185.00
The Bridge

The Bridge

$120.00
New York Map: East Village

New York Map: East Village

$110.00
Lower New York

Lower New York

$120.00
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In the Drawer

Our "In the Drawer" series, takes you inside John Derian's studio drawers to uncover his collection of 18th and 19th-century collection of books, ephemera, artifacts, and more.

As a life-long collector, John shares his favorite discoveries, offering the stories behind each unique item and how he has brought them back to life today.

Open them all here ›