Celestial manuscript map, 1863 (cloth, embroidery & pen and ink on paper)

CELESTIAL MANUSCRIPT MAP -- ROGERS, Hattie, E. Star Spread. Sauquoit, Oneida Co, NY: May 23rd 1863. A very large hand-stitched celestial map, 1435 x 2390mm, the stars composed of white cloth, some labelled in contemporary ink manuscript, and depicted to five orders of magnitude, sewn onto a Cambridge blue background composed of 17 panels of cloth, the crease folds corresponding with the correct latitude and longitude astral co-ordinates, verso of top edge lined with linen with five small hanging loops, two small paper labels stitched to left- and right-hand sides with contemporary ink manuscript stating that the map is after Elijah J. Burritt's, A Celestial Planisphere, Or Map of the Heavens (New York: 1835), and giving the maker's name and place of manufacture, this duplicated in needlework to left-hand side with date. (A few tiny holes, some occasional scattered light staining.) VERY RARE SURVIVAL OF 19TH-CENTURY AMERICAN FOLK ART DEMONSTRATING CELESTIAL CARTOGRAPHY. A fine example from upstate New York. Hattie E. Rogers is mentioned several times in her brother's book, Henry C. Rogers, History of the town of Paris, and the valley of the Sauquoit (Utica, 1881), where she is described as having served as a music teacher in the school at Paris in 1878 (p.164).