Copperplate

Herman Moll's maps of the English and Welsh counties were originally designed to illustrate the topographical work entitled A New Description of England and Wales which was first issued in 1724. The publishers (Moll himself, the Bowles brothers and C. Rivington) decided to also put them out as an atlas volume without text, which also appeared in 1724 under the title quoted. There were various later editions of both formats, the last in 1753. This example bears the plate number 3 which dates it to one of the earlier atlas editions of 1724 or 1739. A little light spotting.

Around 1750 George Bickham senior initiated the production of this series of birds-eye ""maps"" to supplement the re-issue of his partwork The British Monarchy. The map of Cornwall, drawn and engraved by his son, George Bickham junior, was the first to be completed in 1750. When the final serialisation had been issued in 1754 the work was also sold as a single volume. George Bickham junior later amended and re-issued the maps under a new title, and this specimen is from that edition of 1796. Uncommon.

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 5 editions from 1695 to 1772. In 1789 a new translation of the work by Richard Gough was published by John Stockdale with updated and modernised maps by John Cary. The same maps were also later used in Cary's New British Atlas of 1805. They can be found uncoloured, with outline colour and with full wash colour. This example is from the second Gough edition of Britannia, published in 1806, and the maps are in full wash colour - the most desirable state. Very slight offseting to centre top.

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.

These maps were first published by Fullarton and Co. in 1834 in James Bell's New and Comprehensive Gazetteer of England and Wales which was re-issued three times in the 1830's. They were subsequently 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 Parliamentary Gazetteer and bears the signature of R. Scott as engraver.

These maps first appeared in Rowe's English Atlas of 1816, being subsequently acquired by a succession of later publishers and used in a variety of their works. They were modified and updated during this time. This example is the second lithographic transfer for Clarke's British Gazetteer, published in 1852 by H.G. Collins. Folded and trimmed close against bottom right hand border to fit the volume, this being done by the original bookbinders. Lost margin recently restored to facilitate mounting and framing.

In 1844 George Cruchley purchased G. and C. Cary's stock of printing plates, and set about changing the titles and imprints to continue their productive life under his own name. Whereas the Carys had used intaglio printing, Cruchley turned to the fast growing method of printing by lithographic transfer, which offered greater flexibility in making quick changes. Cary's New and Correct English Atlas, first published in 1787, was now relaunched in 1863 as Cruchley's County Atlas of England & Wales. The atlas title page and the titles of individual maps placed great stress upon the inclusion of railways and stations, as to be seen to be keeping pace with the fast growing national railway network was a marketing necessity. This example dates from this 1863 issue after which the map title was changed for later issues of the atlas up to at least 1876.

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 Cornwall map is from the 1715 edition of the work. Original colour to the borders with some later enhancement. Supplied mounted.

This was one of a set of county maps engraved by John Lodge and issued between 1787 and 1790 in The Political Magazine, and Parliamentary, Naval, Military and Literary Journal, published initially by John Murray, and later by R. Butters. The maps were subsequently collected together and re-issued as an atlas,without title page, around 1795. For this atlas edition the imprint with the publication date and engraver's and publisher's signatures was removed from the maps. This example is from the atlas. The maps are well engraved in the plainer style then coming into vogue. They are uncommon.

The Royal English Atlas, first published around 1764, was probably an attempt to repeat the commercial success of The Large English Atlas, with a somewhat smaller format. The maps were again engraved by Kitchin and Bowen, and the partners in the enterprise were based around the consortium that had finally brought out The Large English Atlas in 1760. This time, however, they misjudged the market, and although there were some later re-issues of the atlas, the modern rarity of the maps suggests it was not very successful. This example, dated 1777, is from the second edition published in 1778, and is most attractively coloured.

This map was the frontispiece in Cornwall Illustrated, authored by J. Britton & E.W. Brayley, and published by Fisher & Co. in 1832. It was engraved by Benjamin Rees Davies.The vignette is of the Cheese Wring, and two inset maps cover the northern tip of Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.

Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary was first published in 1831, and there were a mumber or re-issues up to 1849. The county maps were sometimes published with the text and sometimes in a separate, accompanying atlas volume. This example dates from the 1831 or 1835 editions. Original outline colour.

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.