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"Very rare and colorful Art Deco wall map by André Lesot showing the eastern half of the Mediterranean with two beautiful large format views inserted. Although the map is not clearly dated, it must be published after the First World War as the successor states of the Austro-Hungarian Empire are already mapped as independent states in eastern middle Europe and the Balkan. The map shows numerous French, English, German, but also, for example, Russian, Romanian and Greek shipping lines, while land connections have received little attention and are often completely missing. Only the main railroad lines - both existing and planned - were integrated. The map extends from Greece and parts of the Dalmatian coast in the west to Persia and Iraq in the east and from the North African coast to the south of the Soviet Union with the coastal areas of the Black Sea, Crimea and the Transcaucasian territories. What is particularly striking is the wealth of colors on this wall map which is created by the zinc printing - a technique which is rarely used for maps due to the high costs. But when this map was designed, André Lesot, the map-maker, particularly emphasized the technical possibilities by adding two large-format views of the Acropolis in Athens and the Pyramids and the Sphinx of Gizeh. A lovely copy of this very rare wall map with vivid coloring printing and still undamaged hanging loops. We were unable to find the map in trade or auction in the last decade. No copy in the large cartographic collections of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, British Library or Staatsbibliothek Berlin. Only one copy catalogued - but most probably with wrong dating - in the University Library of Wisconsin in Milwaukee (OCLC 57585508). A copy of France from the same publisher in the David Rumsey Map Collection (# 12426.000)" (Martin Nell, 2024)

Date estimated. Cut into 24 panels and mounted on linen with gaps for the folds., Date estimated. Relief shown by colored contours.