1879 Map of Texas Sells for $705,000 at Heritage, Setting Record for Most Valuable Texas Map at Auction

THE RARE PRESSLER AND LANGERMANN MAP LED HERITAGE’S $2.63 MILLION TED LUSHER TEXAS HISTORY COLLECTION AUCTION, UNDERSCORING COLLECTORS’ DEVOTION TO LONE STAR HISTORY.

By Intelligent Collector staff 

The top lot of Heritage Auctions’ Ted Lusher Texas History Collection Signature® Auction was an 1879 Map of the State of Texas by Charles William Pressler and A.B. Langermann, which realized $705,000 to become the most valuable Texas map ever sold at auction. 

One of just three known copies, and the only in private hands, the Pressler and Langermann map is regarded as the first truly accurate map of Texas. Its rarity and historical significance made it the centerpiece of the Dec. 2 event. 

In all, the auction realized $2,635,995, with nearly 300 collectors competing for more than 165 lots. Additional highlights included: 

• Francis Moore Jr.’s 1840 Map and Description of Texas: $519,000, a new record for this essential emigrant guide. 
• Stephen F. Austin’s 1846 Map of Texas: $118,750, the only edition published after statehood. 

Collector Ted Lusher, who assembled the archive over four decades, emphasized his wish that the collection remain tied to the state’s heritage. “It underscores the fact that people do have a respect for those who came before, and there is a commitment to learn about and carry on their history,” he said. 

Heritage’s record-setting offering confirms that when it comes to selling rare Texas maps and documents, Heritage Auctions is the best place for consignors to achieve historic results.