J. Speed Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine 1612-14 (1612)
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 it to one of the earlier editions between 1611 and c1650. A couple of minor repaired marginal tears not impinging the printed area. The colouring is less skilful than the best examples, but still an attractive example of this popular map.
J. Blaeu Theatrum Orbis Terrarum 1645-62
The Blaeu family were one of the leading Dutch map producers of the 17th century. Their major work 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. Latin text on the verso narrows dating of this example to the editions of 1645, 1648 or 1662. The map is in original colour, embellished with gold-leaf highlights, marking it out as a special order.
Originally intended as volume 3 of a larger cartographic project (The English Atlas), Richard Blome's Britannia was published alone in 1673. A rare second edition was issued in 1677. This Cambridgeshire map is from the first edition of the work, and was dedicated to Sir Thomas Chicheley of Wimpole Hall (today owned by the National Trust).At the time of the map's publication he was Master General of the Ordnance and was a privy councillor to King Charles II. In return for his patronage of Blome's project Chicheley received this dedication on the county map, and also appeared in the list of the nobility and gentry of the county, his coat of arms being further included amongst the 816 illustrated in the volume. Mounted.
With descriptive text below and to verso. 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.
R. Morden Magna Britannia et Hibernia 1715-39 (1701)
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 Cambridgeshire first appeared in the partwork in October 1715, but further editions were issued up to 1739 with the maps unchanged.
Chorographia Britanniae was one of the most popular 18th century atlases, offering county maps showing main roads, a handy pocket-size format and useful extra information provided in the notes. Maps from fhe first edition published in 1742 (but with maps dated 1741) initially had sparse topographical information, but within a few months a second edition was issued in which the maps were re-engraved to include many more towns and villages. Several later re-issues followed and the work continued to be advertised until at least 1759. This example is dated 1741, and is from the first edition of the work.
T. Kitchin The Antiquities of England and Wales 1787-98 (1750)
This map was first published in the December 1750 edition of the London Magazine, which between 1747 and 1754 issued a complete set of English county maps by Thomas Kitchin. The maps were later re-published by Alexander Hogg in Boswell's Antiquities of England & Wales, initially in partwork from c1787-9, and then in several complete editions of the work up to 1798. This example of the Cambridgeshire map is from the first complete edition of Boswell's Antiquities dating from c1789.
E. Bowen Large English Atlas 1760 (1751)
The idea for a new county atlas, with a large format bigger than any predecessor, was initiated in 1749 by John Hinton. For a variety of reasons, however, progress was slow. Maps were offered for individual sale as the printing plates were completed, but the series was not finished until 1760 when the atlas was finally published. All but a few of the maps were drawn and engraved by Emanuel Bowen and Thomas Kitchin. The atlas proved to be a commercial success, and a number of later editions were issued up to 1787. The Cambridgeshire map, engraved by Bowen, was one of the first published in 1751. The presence of a centrefold, and the publishers' names on the imprint (John Tinney, Thomas Bowles, John Bowles & Son, and Robert Sayer) date this example to the first atlas edition of 1760. Original outline colour.
J. Ellis Ellis's English Atlas 1766 (1765)
Joseph Ellis's English Atlas was an entry into the market for small county atlases by its publishers Robert Sayer and Carington Bowles. The county maps were closely based upon those drawn by Thomas Kitchin for the 1763 topographical work England Illustrated, the major difference being the attractive vignettes which replaced Kitchin's rococco cartouches. The atlas was first published in 1765, and soon became a commercial success, running to many later editions. It was promoted as a travelling atlas, and made available in various formats. These included a version with the maps printed back to back on each page, as with this example from a 1766 edition which has a map of Cheshire on the reverse.
J. Cary Traveller's Companion 1822-28 (1790))
Cary's Traveller's Companion was first published in 1790. It proved very popular as a pocket road book, and ran to several editions up to c1828. The plates were re-engraved for the editions of 1806 and 1822. This example is from one of the four editions between 1822 and 1828. Original outline colour.
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. Cambridgeshire is dated 1790. Modern 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, in full original colour, is from an early edition of the atlas in 1804. Slight creasing to the outer right, white margin.
B. Capper A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom 1808
Benjamin Pitts Capper was the author of this topographical directory, first published by R. Phillips in 1808. The maps were engraved, and possibly drawn by H. Cooper. Later editions of the work carry the imprint of G.and W.B. Whittaker who re-published the book from 1825-34. This example is from the first edition of 1808, with the hundreds shown in original, full wash colour.
J. Cary New English Atlas 1811 (1809)
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.
J. Wallis P. Martin Martin's Sportsman's Almanack, Kalender and Travellers' Guide 1818 (1812)
This map drawn and engraved by James Wallis, was first published in 1812 in Wallis's New Pocket Edition of the English Counties or Travellers Companion. It was subsequently re-issued in 1818 in the quoted almanack published by P. Martin, from which this example comes.
G. Cooke Cooke's Topography of Great Britain c1810
Uncoloured. The map is supplied together with its original 156 page guide book. The guide was published in paper covers - the front and spine still extant but the rear cover missing. The pages are uncut. The map shows some slight offsetting, and some of the pages of the descriptive text are a little rubbed at the edges, but nice to own the complete item. The maps were also used in other later publications.
James Pigot & Co's county maps were issued in their British Atlas (from c1829), in several of their national and local business directories (from 1826 for the "home counties", at least), and singly in folding form as travelling maps. They were amongst the first maps to be printed from steel instead of copper plates, allowing more accurate fine detail and less wear to the plates over time. Atlas and directories went through several editions up to around 1857, later editions from 1846 being re-named Slater's New British Atlas, with imprints changed accordingly. Original outline colour. Supplied with the text page from the atlas.
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.
Between 1817 and 1833 the brothers Charles and John Greenwood surveyed all the counties of England and Wales for their beautifully engraved county atlas finally published in 1834. Maps were also sold singly as produced. The Cambridgeshire map was surveyed in 1832/33 and this example's centrefold suggests it was sold in atlas format. Original full wash colour. Slightly grubby and with some print off-setting, as is often the case with the Greenwoods' maps.
A. Fullarton Bell's New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales 1834
These maps were first published in partwork by Fullarton and Co. in 1833-34 in James Bell's New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales. The complete work was subsequently re-issued three times in 1834, 1836 and 1837. They were later re-published (again by Fullarton) in 1840 in The Parliamentary Gazetteer of England and Wales, with several further re-issues up to 1849. The maps were engraved on steel and sometimes bear the name of the engraver and sometimes not. This example is from the 1834 edition of Bell's Gazetteer and bears the signature of R. Scott as engraver. The attractive vignette shows King's College Chapel, the Old Schools' Libray and the Senate House. Modern colour. Supplied mounted and ready for framing. Coloured. Mounted.
Thomas Moule's antiquarian leanings are evident in this series of highly decorative county maps - a stylistic throwback in an age when cartographic work had become much plainer and more utilitarian. The maps were engraved by W. Smollinger, J. Bingley and J. Dower, and first appeared in Moule's English Counties Delineated, a partwork with text issued from 1830-32. They were subsequently made available as a complete work in 1837 under the same title, and were later re-issued in Barclay's Universal English Dictionary between 1842 and 1852. This latter work ran to several editions and the maps were often updated between editions to show the latest growth of the railway network. This example is from an edition of Barclay's Dictionary. Modern colour. Supplied mounted and ready to frame.
In 1849 maps from the Walkers' British Atlas (first issued in 1835) were used for this new publication for the hunting enthusiast. Lithographic transfers were taken from the basee maps, which were then overprinted and coloured to show the territories of the various hunts.The Atlas continued into the 1880's, later editions being titled "Walkers Fox-hunting Atlas" This example is from the first edition of 1849, so identified by the hunt names being overprinted in black outline and then hand coloured in blue. Later editions had the hunt names printed in blue, with references to adjoining pages removed. Slight soiling to the outer margins.
C. Smith New English Atlas (reduced version) 1828 or 1833 (1822)
In 1822 Charles Smith issued a county atlas with maps based on his larger county maps which had been in circulation for over 20 years. The new maps were smaller in scale, but the atlas bore the same title as that in which his larger maps appeared. They are clearly drawn and engraved, but although there were several editions of the atlas, they are today amongst the rarer of the 18th century county maps. This example is from the edition of 1828 or 1833, in which the maps have no date in the imprint, but before railways were added for the edition of 1844. Original outline colour.
R. Dawson Parliamentary Representation …. Reports from Commissioners on Proposed Division of Counties and Boundaries of Boroughs 1831/2
This map formed part of a Parliamentary Report, submitted in December 1831, showing proposed changes to electoral arrangements and boundaries which were subsequently enacted in the 1832 Reform Act. The report and maps were subsequently published for public consumption in 1832. Dawson was a Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers charged with survey and production of maps to illustrate the changes. Original colour.
T. Murray An Atlas of the English Counties 1830
The title page of Murray's county atlas states that the maps were "Projected on the basis of the Trigonometrical Survey by order of the hon.ble The Board of Ordnance, under the superindendance of T.L. Murray". This might seem to imply the project had at least the official blessing, if not the active involvement of the Ordnance Survey, but is more likely to be a marketing puff. D. Hodson has suggested that the maps were copied from those of William Ebden published from 1825-8, both sets also being engraved by the same firm of Hoare & Reeves. Murray's Atlas was first published in 1830, with second and third editions in 1831 and 1832, the latter with the adddition of electoral data. by 1838 the plates had been acquired by W. Robson & Co. who published and sold the maps individually, and also used them in their commercial directories. This example is from the first edition of 1830. Original colour.
Camden's Britannia was first published in 1586. County maps by Kip and Hole were first added in 1607, being supplanted by those of Robert Morden for the five editions from 1695 to 1772. In 1789 a new translation of the work by Richard Gough was published by T. Payne and G.&J. Robinson, with updated and modernised maps by John Cary. The same maps were also later used in Cary's New British Atlas of 1805. This example is from the first Gough edition of Britannia, published in 1789. The coluring is modern. The right-hand white margin has been trimmed to the border, and has been restored to facilitate mounting. A repaired tear to the left hand border, without loss. These blemishes are reflected in the price.
W. Cobbett A Geographical Dictionary of England and Wales 1832 or 1854
William Cobbett is probably best known for his work Rural Rides dealing with rural depopulation, but also entered the market for topographical dictionaries, publishing A Geographical Dictionary of England and Wales in 1832. The work contained a set of very sketchy and simplistic county maps. There was a second edition in 1854, but neither seems to have sold well as today Cobbet's maps are rarely encountered.
S. Hall A Travelling County Atlas 1853 or 1854 (1831)
This set of maps were first published in 1831 in A Topographical Dictionary of Great Britain and Ireland by John Gorton. They were later re-issued, with various amendments, in several other works including Hall's New British Atlas (1833-36) and A Travelling County Atlas (1842-1875). Based on the publishers' address in the imprint and markings for stations, this example can be dated to the 1853 or 1854 editions of the A Travelling County Atlas. Original outline colour to the county border, with later enhancements. Supplied ready-mounted.
A. Perrot L'Angleterre, ou Description Historique et Topographique du Royaume de la Grande-Bretagne 1824-35
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 Hertfordshire. The surrounding decorative border shows the typical produce and wares of the counties. Original outline colour
The ninth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica in 1887 included a set of county maps drawn and engraved by Bartholomew & Co. and printed by lithographic transfer. The maps were subsequently updated for the re-issues of the Encyclopaedia in 1892 and 1887/99, but for the latter issue the Bartholomew signature is replaced by that of W.& A.K. Johnston, as in this example of the map of Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire.
Mr. Muir's Hunt. These hunting maps, engraved by John Dower for M.A. Pittman, originally appeared in the Sporting Review magazine in the early 1840's. The full set of 24 maps were also issued as The Fox Hunter's Atlas in c1843 and c1850. A later issue of the atlas in c1857 had 28 maps. Individual folding examples have also been found in red silk covers.The maps are based on the territory of each hunt irrespective of county borders.This example shows Mr. Muir's hunt, covering parts of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Modern colour.
W. Kip Camden's Britannia 1637 (1607)
The first 5 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. The Cambridgeshire map,engraved by William Kip, is based on that of Saxton, and is the second earliest printed map of the county as an individual entity.This example is from the 1610 edition of Britannia, so dated from the lack of text to the verso, and lack of the plate number 21 which was added for the 1637 edition.