John Speed's maps of the English and Welsh counties are amongst the most decorative of early, British cartographic work, and are eagerly sought after today. They were first published in 1612 in The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, designed as a companion volume to Speed's History of Great Britaine. The maps were based on the earlier surveys of Saxton, Norden and a few others, with engraving contracted to Jodocus Hondius whose signature appears on 33 of the maps. Speed's greatest innovation was the inclusion of inset plans of major towns and cities. Although some were copied from earlier work, for many towns this was first plan ever published. Speed's county atlas was re-issued a number of times for a period of around 160 years, with new publishers making various small changes and updates to the maps over time. This example bears the imprint of Sudbury and Humble, dating its issue to between 1611 and 1654. Repair to centrefold.

Jan Jansson was one of Amsterdam's leading 17th century mapmakers, and a close rival to the Blaeu family. His multi-volume world atlas first saw the introduction of 6 maps of individual English counties into the German edition of 1636, and a further 11 of English and Welsh counties in the Dutch edition of 1644. But when Jansson saw the 1645 Blaeu volume with more decorative maps covering all the English and Welsh counties, he felt obliged to revise his existing plates and complete the set in order to compete. His new volume covering England and Wales was first published in the 1646 Latin text edition of the Atlas Novus. In 1694 the printing plates were acquired by the Amsterdam firm of Schenk and Valk who made various revisions, and sold the maps singly or in composite atlases. This example, covering both Hertfordshire and Middlesex, bears the Schenk and Valck imprint, and has had a graticule of latitude and longitude added. Original full colour.

Morden's set of smaller maps may originally have been drawn and engraved for Camden's Britannia, but rejected as too small. They were first published in 1701 in The New Description and State of England. This example is from Magna Britannia et Hibernia, originally issued as a 92 part topographical work between 1714 and 1731, but gradually also made available in 6 finished, bound volumes. The text and map of Hertfordshire first appeared in the partwork in March 1718, but further editions were issued up to 1739 with the maps unchanged.

Original outline colour. Some repaired marginal nicks and tears not affecting the printed area. Some dampstaining to the side margins, but again well outside the printed area. Otherwise a very attractive specimen. This new series of maps was commenced in 1749, with maps sold singly until the last counties were completed and the full series issued in 1760 as the Large English Atlas. Hertfordshire was one of the first issued in 1749. J.Tinney's name on the imprint probably dates this copy to the first edition of the atlas in 1760, though it could have been sold individually as a pre-atlas copy between 1753 and 1760.

The last decades of the 18th century saw less emphasis being placed on the traditions of decorative mapmaking in favour of a plainer style and design. Foremost amongst this new wave of "modern" cartographers and engravers was John Cary. The New and Correct English Atlas was Cary's first major production as a publisher in his own account. The maps were not only clearly and elegantly drawn and engraved, but also set new standards in accuracy in taking advantage of all the new large-scale county surveys of the second half of the 18th century. The atlas was first published in 1787, with a re-issue in 1793. By 1808 the plates were well worn, and the engraving of a new set was begun. The next dated edition of 1809, from which this example comes, utilised these new plates. Original outline colour.

Charles Smith was a successful London publisher and map-seller, whose work is stylistically very similar to that of John Cary. His large format New English Atlas first came to market in 1804, but many of the maps have also been found in folding format and may have been sold individually before the publication of the atlas. Smith's maps were well designed and accurate, making use of the large scale county surveys of the previous half-century. The atlas was a commercial success and was up-dated and re-published regularly until c1865 (the latter editions produced by lithographic transfer). This example is from the 1808 second edition, and is in bright and original full colour.

This work was published in 1835 as a companion volume to Lewis's Topographic Dictionary. It contains county and borough maps, drawn by R. Creighton and engaved by J.& C. Walker, and was designed to show the electoral and boundary changes effected by the 1832 Reform Act. There were 2 issues of the work in 1835 and 1840, this example of the county map being from the 1835 first edition. Original outline colour.

Luffman's atlas was designed as a geographical aid to children. It was first issued in 1803, with a second edition in 1806 which is distinguished, as with this example, by the positioning of the plate number immediately above the circular map. It is uncommon.

Sir Henry Chauncy's important work on Hertfordshire was published in 1700, apparently in a print run of 500 copies. Chauncy was an eminent lawyer and antiquarian. The work included this county map by Hermann Moll, and a few other town plans and views There was a much later republication of the work in 1826 (with a newly engraved county map), but this example is from the first edition of 1700. A tight right hand margin (as taken from the book), but without loss to the printed area.

First published in Anglia Contracta in c1695, Seller's maps were subsequently reissued in A History of England in 1696, and in Camden's Britannia Abridged in 1701. They were later re-used in the 1780's in Grose's Antiquities of England and Wales, for which titles and scale-bars were changed, the maps also being set in a page of text. The Seller/Grose maps are common, the originals by Seller much less so.

Robert Clutterbuck's county history was a 3 volume set, with volumes published in 1815, 1821 and 1827. The double page county map was drawn and engraved by Joseph Cross, and appeared in the first volume of 1815. Some old tape stains to the margins, not affecting printed area, and a couple of minor repairs to tears in the margin and to the lower centrefold - all without loss.

James Wallis's New British Atlas was first published in 1813 by S.A. Oddy. There was a second edition in 1816. This example is from the first edition and is dated 1812 on the imprint. It is in attractive, original, full wash colour.

Camden's Britannia - a history and topography of Britain - was first published in 1586 and had a long and successful publication history. County maps by Kip and Hole were addded in 1607, and these also appeared in the editions of 1610 and 1637. Over 50 year's later it was decided to issue a new and updated edition. The original Latin text was re-translated by Edmund Gibson, and Robert Morden was commissioned to provide a new set of county and general maps in a more modern style. The revised work was issued in 1695. There were 4 further editions of the Gibson/Morden work, the last in 1772, before a further updated version by Richard Gough was launched in 1789, with new maps by John Cary. This example is from the third Gibson edition of 1722. An ex-library blind-stamp to the white margin, but a nice example.

An attractive and rare county map, as the work was only ever printed in one edition with a print run suggested as just 200. The maps were copied from Saxton, and are notable as the first set of county maps to show latitude and longitude. A true collector's item from the rarest of English county atlases. 240

The author of this work was the Reverend Peter Newcome, rector of Shenley in Hertfordshire. It was published in two parts, the first in 1793 and the second in 1795, and there were no later re-issues. This map of the county was presumably issued in the second part as it is dated 1794 in the imprint. It was engraved by Francis Joseph Vivares, whose father Francis Vivares was also an engraver, specialising in landscape prints.Original colour to the boundaries, with modern colour to parks, major roads and some other features. An old repair to a tear, entering the left border by c8 cms resulting in some slight soiling, but without loss to the image. An uncommon item.

Benjamin Rees Davies first drew this map for the Weekly Dispatch newspaper as part of a series published between 1857 and 1863. The Hertfordshire map was issued in 1860. The subsequent history of the maps includes re-issues in The Dispatch Atlas in 1863, Cassell's Complete Atlas in 1863, Cassell's British Atlas in 1865, Bacon's County Atlas in 1869, and Bacon's New Large Scale Ordnance Atlas from 1883. All editions of the maps were by lithographic transfer. This example is from The Weekly Dispatch Atlas, published in 1863. Later colour.

St. Albans Abbey . The Antiquities of England and Wales was the product of Alexander Hogg who was well known as a partwork publisher. Under the claimed authorship of Henry Boswell it was issued serially from c1787-9, and subsequently made available as a complete work. The format was typically two (though sometimes up to 6) prints to a page, with one or two accompanying pages of descriptive text on each pair of subjects. It also included the set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin first used in the London Magazine from 1747-54. St. Albans Abbey is believed to have been founded by King Offa II of Mercia in the 8th century, but had to be substantially rebuilt after damage in Danish raids, and the modern building was only completed by its first Norman abbot in1089. After the dissolution of the monasteries the Abbey Church became the town's Parish Church, and later achieved cathedral status in 1877. Much of the stone used to construct the Abbey was robbed from the Roman remains at adjoining Verulamium. This print was engraved by Taylor, and is supplied with the original accompanying text from the work. A few brown spots to the sky.

A Canal at Gubbins House. The Antiquities of England and Wales was the product of Alexander Hogg who was well known as a partwork publisher. Under the claimed authorship of Henry Boswell it was issued serially from c1787-9, and subsequently made available as a complete work. The format was typically two (though sometimes up to 6) prints to a page, with one or two accompanying pages of descriptive text on each pair of subjects. It also included the set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin first used in the London Magazine from 1747-54. The More family had owned the manor of Gobions (or Gubbins - near Potters Bar) since the 13th century, and built a new house there in the early 1500's. It was the home of Henry VIII's chancellor, Sir Thomas More. In later years the estate was merged with that of Brookmans Park, and the house was pulled down in c1838. This print was engraved by Taylor, and shows a view of the gardens.

Minsden Chapel, near Hitchin. The Antiquities of England and Wales was the product of Alexander Hogg who was well known as a partwork publisher. Under the claimed authorship of Henry Boswell it was issued serially from c1787-9, and subsequently made available as a complete work. The format was typically two (though sometimes up to 6) prints to a page, with one or two accompanying pages of descriptive text on each pair of subjects. It also included the set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin first used in the London Magazine from 1747-54. Minsden Chapel dates from the 14th century, but was derelict by the 1600's Its overgrown ruins still stand in fields in the parish of Preston, and are today the haunt of ghost hunters.

The Bridgewater Monument, Ashridge Park. The British Gazetteer was authored by B. Clarke and published by H.G. Collins in 1852. Apart from topographical text listings, it included a set of county maps (originally by Rowe), and a small series of railway prints after drawings by J.F. Burrell. This print was engraved by A. Ashley, and shows the Bridgewater Monument in the grounds of Ashridge Park. The monument was erected in 1832 as a monument to the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, whose family owned the estate, and who was a great canal builder. Much of Ashridge Park, including the site of the monument which can be climbed by an interior staircase, is now owned by the National Trust and is open to the public free of charge.