Help me date the map on my new coffee mug

[Raph]

Okay, so my wife recently got me a new coffee mug, with a world map on it. I've been trying to date it based on what I remember of history but I thought maybe some smart minds over here could help me pin down the exact year.

What I've worked out so far:
- Pre WW1 because Russia
- Pre 1905 because Sweden+Norway
- Pre 1866 because Austria-Hungary holds Venice; Alaska still Russian; no Russian Turkestan
- This however seems strange because Germany looks like it's unified when it should at least be split between NGF and A-H-sphere states IIRC, could be in the middle of the Austria-Prussian war of 1866?

What else to look for? I notice Korea appears to be printed as part of China, I guess they were tributaries up until some point being annexed by Japan? I'm a bit fuzzy with east Asian history. Maybe there's some clues in Africa or South America as well. Trying to determine if we have United Kingdom of Netherlands or if there's a slight color difference for Belgium as well.

The mug is part of this collection, but no map date information on that site.

 

[Fornadan]

Okay, so my wife recently got me a new coffee mug, with a world map on it. I've been trying to date it based on what I remember of history but I thought maybe some smart minds over here could help me pin down the exact year.

What I've worked out so far:
- Pre WW1 because Russia
- Pre 1905 because Sweden+Norway
- Pre 1866 because Austria-Hungary holds Venice; Alaska still Russian; no Russian Turkestan
- This however seems strange because Germany looks like it's unified when it should at least be split between NGF and A-H-sphere states IIRC, could be in the middle of the Austria-Prussian war of 1866?

What else to look for? I notice Korea appears to be printed as part of China, I guess they were tributaries up until some point being annexed by Japan? I'm a bit fuzzy with east Asian history. Maybe there's some clues in Africa or South America as well. Trying to determine if we have United Kingdom of Netherlands or if there's a slight color difference for Belgium as well.

The mug is part of this collection, but no map date information on that site.

using this

https://xkcd.com/1688/large/

I ended up with 1854 - 1856

 

[Teep]

Between 1848 and 1858. USA is fine, Russia doesn't have its border at the Amur or further south.

Edit: Emu'd by a more accurate guess.

 

[Raph]

What about Germany though? Just a simplified map?

 

[Fornadan]

I would guess so

though the pictures are not sharp enough to tell for certain, eastern Germany seems to be labelled Prussia

 

[Finnish Dragon]

One should also note that in the second picture Alsace and Lorraine seem to belong to France and on the third picture Australia seems to be unified. Australia as a colony was formed in 1901 by Queenlands, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. It is possible that the artist who painted that map took some artistic freedom.

 

[Raph]

One should also note that in the second picture Alsace and Lorraine seem to belong to France and on the third picture Australia seems to be unified. Australia as a colony was formed in 1901 by Queenlands, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia. It is possible that the artist who painted that map took some artistic freedom.

A-L belonging to France would be consistent with a pre-1866 date though, didn't that change hands in 1871?

What do we have that puts the upper limit at '58 or '56?

 

[DoomBunny]

Between 1848 and 1853, it looks as though there has been no Gadsden Purchase.

Though I'd note that it doesn't seem to be the most accurate of maps perhaps.

 

[RELee]

I was going to suggest that you simply be yourself and see if anything comes of it. Boy, do I feel foolish.

 

[DoomBunny]

Call me shallow, but I couldn't date anyone who didn't have either a Confederate States or America or an Eastern Roman Empire.

 

[ConjurerDragon]

A-L belonging to France would be consistent with a pre-1866 date though, didn't that change hands in 1871?

Correct, after the German-French war.

What do we have that puts the upper limit at '58 or '56?

Quing China still controls the later russian "primorye" (the area on the Sea of Japan directly opposite Japan) and China had that only until 1860
and China still controls lands north of the Amur river that it held only until 1858 and the Treaty of Aigun:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amur_Acquisition

 

[Yakman]

I would guess so

though the pictures are not sharp enough to tell for certain, eastern Germany seems to be labelled Prussia

that prominent bulge in france clearly indicates that the map is pre-German Empire.

I would hazard a guess at the early 1850s. the Gadsden Purchase hasn't happened yet - the map seems to be of an American provenance, so that would be included had it happened. So, pre 1854. Also, it looks like Britain has seized lower Burma, so that would put it after 1852.

So, 1852 - 1854.

 

[Fishman786]

It's 1849 at the latest, as the Sikh Empire has not been annexed yet.

Is there a better photo of the Indian/central Asian region? There's a short period between the Anglo-Sikh wars in which Kashmir is British but Panjab is still independent.

 

[DoomBunny]

Honestly I think 1848-54 is the best estimate we'll get given the maps lack of detail and anachronistic elements (see, as pointed out, existence of Company rule over Lower Burma but an independent Punjab).

 

[Yakman]

Honestly I think 1848-54 is the best estimate we'll get given the maps lack of detail and anachronistic elements (see, as pointed out, existence of Company rule over Lower Burma but an independent Punjab).

IF you have company rule over Lower Burma, that puts it after 1852.

I don't think a map maker would imagine that. On the other hand, he might not be as aware of ALL the British Empire's gains in India, so he might still have an independent punjab.

I will stand by 1852-1854 until I see something convincing otherwise.

 

[DoomBunny]

Then again, the Sikh Wars were a far larger (series) of conflicts.

 

[Yakman]

Then again, the Sikh Wars were a far larger (series) of conflicts.

true, but then again, I can better imagine an OMISSION on the map rather than an ADDITION.

 

[AegonVLLI]

Since the Habsburgian Lands and the rest of Germany are the same colour, I would guess that it depicts the Deutscher Bund as a unified state, with only the more important members of it indicated by their name. It also could be a cultural thing, but then the rest of the map wouldn't work out. Of course, it isn't entirely accurate, since not all parts of A-H were members of the Bund, but it would fit the timeframe and explain the "unifyed" Germany.

 

[Raph]

Thanks all for the help!

Since the Habsburgian Lands and the rest of Germany are the same colour, I would guess that it depicts the Deutscher Bund as a unified state, with only the more important members of it indicated by their name. It also could be a cultural thing, but then the rest of the map wouldn't work out. Of course, it isn't entirely accurate, since not all parts of A-H were members of the Bund, but it would fit the timeframe and explain the "unifyed" Germany.

That seems like a plausbile explanation of the seemingly unified Germany.

It's 1849 at the latest, as the Sikh Empire has not been annexed yet.

Is there a better photo of the Indian/central Asian region? There's a short period between the Anglo-Sikh wars in which Kashmir is British but Panjab is still independent.

Will get you a better photo of the central part when I get home next week. Spending some time in the Grand Duchy of Finland and didn't bring the mug.

 

[Raph]

I was going to suggest that you simply be yourself and see if anything comes of it. Boy, do I feel foolish.

Call me shallow, but I couldn't date anyone who didn't have either a Confederate States or America or an Eastern Roman Empire.

I did exxpect some jokes about dating, but I didn't foresee that RELee would be the one doing the joking. For that, I apologize.