For many years the original author of this map was unknown and it was referred to as being by the "anonymous mapmaker". Today it is known to be by the herald and topographer William Smith, and to be one of a set of 12 maps drawn by him for an aborted atlas project around 1602-3. By 1650 the plates had been acquired by Peter Stent who added his imprint and continued to sell them singly. They next appear under the ownership of John Overton from c1665, and subsequently his son Henry from 1707. The Overtons again sold them singly but also used them in their composite atlases made up of maps from various sources and mapmakers. This example bears the imprint of Henry Overton and is dated 1713. In this state the map has the addition of roads. A rare item. Mounted.
W. Smith Sold Singly and in Composite Atlases c1666-1707 (c1602-03)
For many years the original author of this map was unknown and it was referred to as being by the "anonymous mapmaker". Today it is known to be by the herald and topographer William Smith, and to be one of a set of 12 maps drawn by him for an aborted atlas project around 1602-3. By 1650 the plates had been acquired by Peter Stent who added his imprint and continued to sell them singly. They next appear under the ownership of John Overton from c1665, and subsequently his son Henry from 1707. The Overtons again sold them singly but also used them in their composite atlases made up of maps from various sources and mapmakers. This example bears the imprint of John Overton, and can therefore be dated to c1665-1707. The map's margins have been trimmed up to the printed border, which may suggest it needed to be trimmed down to accompany other slightly smaller maps in a composite atlas. This conjecture may be supported by the presence of a old horizontal rather than vertical fold with the trace of a vertical "guard" to the verso.The map is otherwise in good condition and is a rare item.