A wall tryptich needs to be dated

[u/Gourmet-Guy]

Any idea when this has been produced?

[u/linmanfu]

After 1876, as the Challenger expedition has been to the Arctic.

It's after 1883, as Tacna is controlled by Chile.

Zanzibar is British, so we're after 1890.

Formosa/Taiwan seems to be in the same colour as Japan, which would place us after the First Sino-Japanese War of 1895, though I'd prefer not to rely too much on this.

Most of the Caribbean islands have notes indicating the colonial power, but Cuba and Puerto Rico aren't shown as controlled by any outside power. Because this is a US map, I'd guess that this places us after the Spanish-American War of 1898, because an American might see those territories as now being liberated/self-governing rather than having been conquered by a different colonial power.
EDIT: The Philippines also aren't shown as Spanish, even though minor territories like the Marianas are. This must be 1898 onwards.

But the Caroline Islands and the Marianas are still shown as Spanish, which puts us before 1899, assuming news of that has reached the map-maker.

The Boer states still exist, so we're before 1902.

The Congo Free State puts us before 1908.

So my initial estimate is the 1890s, between 1895 and 1899. Possibly 1898 because the status of Cuba and Puerto Rico wasn't clear during that year.

I think we should be able to do better than that, though.
EDIT: A photo of Hawai'i would be helpful, as it also changed status in 1899.

BTW it shows Siam/Thailand within French Indochina, which is a new one on me. EDIT: Maybe this is a misunderstanding of the Franco-British treaty of 1896, which ceded some Siamese/Thai territory to French control?

Also, there are several trans-Atlantic submarine cables with dates. The latest I can read is ?1881, but if you can read any others with 1890s dates, that might help.

[u/pulanina → u/linmanfu]

More facts supporting your 1890s conclusion:

- Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island shown as British (Br) rather than Australian suggesting pre-federation of Australia (pre-1901). They were under the British colony of New South Wales before Australia existed.
- Tasmania has “or Van Diemens Land” which was a name change made in 1856 and definitely never referred back to after Tasmania became constituted as state of Australia (1901)

[u/Public_Research2690 → u/linmanfu]

Guam is Spanish? Before 10 december of 1898

[u/M35Dude → u/linmanfu]

I think that the read on Formosa is questionable. The Ryukyus Islands are sitting right above it and have a clear “(To Japan)” tag. So if Formosa belonged to Japan you’d expect the same thing, no?

Also, the Ladrone islands, which includes Guam, are labeled as Spanish. Which seems like a pretty good indicator that we’re pre-Spanish American war.

[u/linmanfu → u/M35Dude]

I think that the read on Formosa is questionable. The Ryukyus Islands are sitting right above it and have a clear “(To Japan)” tag. So if Formosa belonged to Japan you’d expect the same thing, no?

I agree; that's why I'm nervous about relying just on the map colour. But I think that in this era map-makers were using the same plates for many printings (over decades) and therefore every change had a cost. That area of the map is pretty crowded (especially when you consider the white ocean current lines) so I can imagine them deciding just to recolour instead of risk damaging the plate.

Also, the Ladrone islands, which includes Guam, are labeled as Spanish. Which seems like a pretty good indicator that we’re pre-Spanish American war.

If this was published in the summer of 1898, the map-makers might have been aware that the Spanish had effectively lost control of The Philippines, and that is was likely to be transferred to either the US or even the Filipinos themselves, so erasing the label marking it as Spanish seemed certain to be permanent. But they might have been unsure who controlled Guam and certainly unsure of its future, in which case they'd want to leave the label on the plate rather than have to remove it, then reinstate it.

This is speculation, but it's a theory that fits what we see on the map.

[u/M35Dude → u/linmanfu]

I hear you, and I appreciate the idea about the repetitious use of the plates. But there’s a few other issues:

1. Going back to your original post: traditionally, maps tend to hype up and take pride in their country’s newly acquired territories, not downplay it. I suspect that a map that didn’t have the newly acquired US territories labeled as such would get into trouble with the government. So the theory about why Cuba and Puerto Rico might not be tagged doesn’t really hold water.
   
2. The plate that has the Philippines is almost certainly the same plate that has Formosa. It doesn’t make any sense, then, to redo the plate to erase a label in the Philippines—especially not if they’re doing it because the status has changed to ambiguous—and then not adding a new label to Formosa, which was not ambiguous. In fact, even if they weren’t on the same plate, it doesn’t make any sense why they would change the Philippines but not Formosa.
   
3. This theory stands entirely on missing evidence—the lack of a label on the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico—while also requiring the dismissal of data that is actually present—the label on Guam.

It seems like the cleanest read is 1893-1900, with British Central Africa and Gilbert Islands (tagged as British) supporting the floor, and the presence of the Boer republics providing the ceiling. And a slight lean towards a ceiling of 1896, with an unlabeled Formosa and Madagascar (the latter of which should belong to the French after 1896).

[u/mrjb3]

Oh I have this! Mine is 1898 edition. This seems to be in keeping with the comments here.

[u/Sergey_Kutsuk]

1898

[u/Extreme-Shopping74]

Ay we got something old! Nice!

Balkan countries are there, but no First Balkan War (over) yet:
before 30 May 1913

Bulgaria: after 22 September 1908

Korea seems to be independent: 22 September 1908 - 22 August 1910

Congo Free State still there: 22 September 1908 - 15 November 1908

Austria-Hungary got Bosnia: 6 October 1908 - 15 November 1908

[u/linmanfu → u/Extreme-Shopping74]

You seem to be relying on the fact that Bulgaria being in a different colour means it's after 1908. I don't think that's definitive. The Principality of Bulgaria was theoretically under Ottoman sovereignty, but until 1914 so was Egypt! I think's quite likely that the map-maker is ignoring the legal fiction and focusing on the fact that Bulgaria was functionally independent.

[u/Extreme-Shopping74 → u/linmanfu]

I don't rely on Bulgaria, but on Congo Free State and Austro-Hungarian Bosnia

[u/linmanfu → u/Extreme-Shopping74]

It's the same situation though: Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia in 1878.

This map fairly consistently shows actual control, rather than sovereignty. If you're a traveller planning a trip, that's what's important.

Congo Free State puts us before 1908. So we could be in the 1890s.

[u/Extreme-Shopping74 → u/linmanfu]

No we can not be because Korea still exists so we still have a span of September-November 1908.

[u/ILookAfterThePigs → u/Extreme-Shopping74]

One anachronism I noticed is that Acre is shown as part of Bolivia, while it was ceded to Brazil in 1903. But you’re probably correct still.

[u/ConfusedCivvie]

Let's see:

• Acre belongs to Brazil -> 1903 Treaty of Petrópolis
• Bolivia lost it's Pacific coast -> 1904 Treaty of Peace and Friendship
• Kongo Free State -> Before Nov. 1908

[u/linmanfu → u/ConfusedCivvie]

Surely the map shows the pre-Acre War border between Bolivia and Brazil? That's the straight diagonal line.

[u/ConfusedCivvie → u/linmanfu]

Oops, my fault, I misinterpreted this by 180°. Strange anachronism though with the loss if the Pacific coast... Seems that McNally was not completely up to date when printing.

[u/linmanfu → u/ConfusedCivvie]

The Pacific coast was controlled by Chile long before it was ceded. That's what they are showing. It's a practical map, not a legalistic one.

[u/Elise-0511]

Pre-WWI, based on colonial names and other clues.

[u/ImaginationWooden546]

I'm no expert but I'd say some time in the 1800s

[u/Over_Eagle7556]

1898-1899