The first five editions of Camden's successful history and topography of Britain were without maps, but for the sixth edition of 1607 the engravers William Hole and William Kip were commissioned to provide a set of maps of the counties of England and Wales, plus 3 general maps of the countries comprising the new "United Kingdom". These maps were retained for the subsequent 1610 and 1637 editions. They are based on the earlier work of Saxton, Norden, Smith and Owen. This attractively coloured example is from the 1637 edition.

The Blaeu family were one of the leading Dutch map producers of the 17th century. Their major work, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, later titled the Atlas Maior, was a multi volume world atlas initiated by Willem Blaeu and expanded by his son Joan. Their maps were beautifully designed and engraved, and are often found with original colour, making them most desirable to collectors. 1645 saw the first publication of volume 4 of the atlas, containing maps of England and Wales. There were several re-issues between then and 1672 when most of Blaeu's plates were lost in a fire which engulfed his Amsterdam premises. Dutch text to verso dates this example to 1647, 1648 or 1664. Original full colour. Repaired tears to top and lower centrefold well outside the printed area. Some soiling to margins, but the printed area generally clean and fresh.

Blome's smaller series of county maps have a puzzling history. They seem to have been initiated before his larger maps for Britannia, but were not published until 1681 when they appeared under the title Speed's Maps Epitomiz'd. Blome re-issued them twice before his death in 1705. The plates were subsequently acquired by Thomas Taylor who brought out a new edition in 1715 titled England Exactly Described. There were further editions in 1715 (by Taylor), and in c1731 (by Thomas Bakewell). These later editions had roads added to the maps. This example of the Hertfordshire map is from the 1715 edition of the work. Original hand colour.

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.

It is suprising that Cary's large county atlas was issued as late as 1809, as individual maps from it seem to have been sold singly from 1801. The atlas format was perhaps to compete with the similarly sized atlas of Charles Smith, which went under the same title and was published in 1804. It is perhaps Cary's finest production, the maps being notable for their fine design, detail and engraving. The atlas ran to several later editions by Cary, and the plates were later used for a variety of lithographic transfers by G.F. Cruchley. This example is from the second edition of 1811, and is in 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.

In 1695 John Seller published a county atlas titled Anglia Contracta. The plates were much later acquired by Francis Grose, revised, and used in a supplement to his partwork on British antiquities. The supplement with maps was first published in 1787, and ran to several later editions. The Grose edition is most easily distinguished by simplification of the original title cartouches, and by the addition of text below the map, continued on the verso.

Harrison's atlas was published in 1791, but maps were engraved and dated between 1787 and 1791, and may have been sold singly as completed. Hertfordshire is dated 1788.

The text for this French topographical work on Britain was written by George Depping, the maps being drawn by Aristide Perrot and engraved by A. Migneret. It was first published in 1824, with subsequent editions in 1828 and 1835. The maps often cover more than one county as in this example which also includes Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire. The surrounding decorative border shows the typical produce and wares of the counties. Original outline colour

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.