The Piece

Nevada State Map, 1939
From Collier’s World Atlas and Gazetteer

An original 1939 map of the State of Nevada, extracted from Collier’s World Atlas and Gazetteer. The map presents Nevada with clear county boundaries, rail lines, topographical markings, and regional place names, capturing the state in a pre-interstate, pre-postwar moment of American history.

Printed on period atlas paper and showing natural edge wear from its original bound format, the map retains the honest material character of early 20th-century cartography. It is professionally framed in a giltwood frame and paired with a charcoal-toned mat, allowing the pale, time-softened paper to stand out with quiet authority.

Design & Construction

→ Medium: Original printed atlas map on paper
→ Date: 1939
→ Source: Collier’s World Atlas and Gazetteer
→ Coverage: State of Nevada
→ Frame: Giltwood frame with beaded inner edge
→ Mat: Deep charcoal mat
→ Presentation: Mounted behind glass

History & Context

Published on the eve of World War II, this 1939 map reflects Nevada before the sweeping infrastructure, population growth, and federal development projects that reshaped the American West in the decades that followed. Rail corridors, mining regions, and sparsely populated areas dominate the visual language, offering a snapshot of Nevada as it existed in a far quieter era.

Condition

Vintage condition consistent with age and original atlas use.
→ Edge wear and soft creasing from binding
→ Natural paper toning
→ No modern retouching or reproduction

Why It Belongs in Your Home

Because this is Nevada before everything. Before sprawl, before interstates, before mass tourism. It’s a grounded, understated piece that works effortlessly in an office, study, library, or gallery wall—especially for those drawn to Western history, cartography, or objects with a clear sense of place.