Midwestern Greetings
Hello! Clearly new to the site, I sought it out mainly to ask questions about something, but who knows, maybe a greater appreciation for cartography will arise from it.
I recently purchased my first house and it's full of treasures left behind by previous owners. My most recent discover is...unsurprisingly, map-related. While digging through the garage for scrap wood for some projects I came across what looked to be a large table top piece of wood that was actually several planks glued together. When I tried to move it out from behind the cabinet it was hidden by, I discovered that this 3/4 inch-thick. 3ft x 4ft piece of wood was much, much heavier than I anticipated. Curious, I leaned the piece to get a look at the back side and it was something completely unexpected so I immediately brought it into the house to clean off and get a better look at it.
What I had fount was a print plate for a map of Florida.
From what I can tell the plate is made of either brass or bronze and possibly lead backed on the wood I mentioned before. Overall I'd say it weighs nearly 80lbs. After showing it to some family and friends everyone is saying "mount it on the wall" but being as heavy as it is, I don't want to do that since it'd require drilling holes. I tried to look up information on similar objects and cannot find anything. So here's what I know about it and maybe someone here can help me out with learning more about it...
Other than the previously mentioned size and the fact that it's of Florida, the map says Cram's Superior Florida and has a key of counties and cities on it. I can't find any date but there are several numbers which I suspect can give a good time frame. The first is the fact that Dade County is listed to have 935,XXX residents, which, from what I could tell puts it being made in the 1960's based on census information. Other (what I assume to be identifying numbers) listed are C1166 and No. CST 7 (Markadle-Kleenadle). Or at least that's what I make it out to be, I'm not the best at reading things backwards.
I also know a previous owner of the house worked for and was very interested in railroads so I'm not sure if this is a railroad-related map or not. The George F. Cram company, from what I can tell, was/is also not very far from this house so I'm assuming this was bought at some sort of estate sale or caution and left here.
Again, hello all! Thank you for reading this lengthy intro. Let me know what you think! I look forward to hearing from everyone and becoming a new member of this community.
Hello AppleGuy,
My suggestion would be to take it to a reputable antique dealer. Even it it's not a genuine antique, that person would be the most likely to know where to find out more about it, and what value it might have, either monetary or to a museum. Alternatively, contact the most major museum near where you live. Again, if they don't know, they will know where to find out its value.
Thanks! I'd thought about that, I'm just nervous about transporting it, I'm afraid any flexing in transit would cause more of it to crack. Maybe if I can get a hold of a larger vehicle...Originally Posted by chick
Then take photos of it to the museum/etc, and if they think it has value, they will likely send someone to your house to examine it.
My point was that they are a much better judge than anyone here would be likely to be.
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