In c1689 Philip Lea published a new edition of Saxton's atlas, the plates being much revised to include roads and town plans. Lea's plates were acquired by George Wildey in 1730 who added his own imprint and sold the maps singly or in atlas format. The Saxton map originally covered the 5 counties of Northants, Beds, Hunts. Rutland and Cambridge. Lea's revisions obliterated much of Cambridge and Wildey had to have a new map of this county engraved for the atlas. Old colour. A very good example of this most desirable and scarce map.G. Wildey imprint.
J. Speed Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine 1676 (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 Basset & Chiswell, dating it to the edition of 1676. A small section of the bottom left hand border not printed probably due to the plate having been damaged before this date.
J. Blaeu Novus Atlas, Das ist Welt-beschreibung 1645-67 (1645)
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. German text to verso dates this example to the editions of 1645, 1648 or 1667. It is in original colour and in very good condition.
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 map of Rutlan is from the first edition of the work, and was dedicated to Robert Brudenell, Baron Brudenell of Stanton Wyvill in Leicestershire and 2nd Earl of Cardigan. In return for his patronage of Blome's project Brudenell 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.
R. Morden Camden's Britannia 1695-1772 (1695)
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 one of the Gibson editions
In c1695 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. Modern colour, with descriptive text below and to verso.
Britannia Depicta was one of 3 pocket-sized reductions of Ogilby's road book that appeared within an 18 month timeframe between 1719 and 1720. It was more innovative than the others in including much additional topographical and historical information (researched by John Owen) on the maps. The work was a commercial success and ran to many later editions the last in 1764. Modern colour.
This map was originally designed as one of the series which accompanied Thomas Read's weekly topographical partwork, The English Traveller, published from 1743-46.The map plates were subsequently acquired by John Rocque and re-issued under the title The Small British Atlas in c 1753. The atlas was re-issued in 1762 and 1764, before the final appearance of some of the maps in the topographical work England Displayed in 1769. The maps are generally described as "Rocques", irrespective of the source publication from which they emanate. This example is from England Displayed. Modern colour. Mounted.
E. Bowen Large English Atlas 1756-60 (1756)
Map includes Leicestershire. Original outline colour. Some old folds with a pinhole where they meet within the upper right text block. Some repaired marginal tears not affecting the printed area.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. Leicestershire-Rutland was first issued in 1756. J.Tinney's name on the imprint dates this copy to the first edition of the atlas in 1760 or earlier.
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 Oxfordshire on the reverse.
J. Cary New and Correct English Atlas 1809 (1787)
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.
B. Capper Topographical Dictionary of the UK 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.
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, and in good condition.
Original full colour, and in good condition. The Greenwoods surveyed all the counties from 1817-33 for their beautifully engraved county atlas finally published in 1834. Maps were also sold singly as produced. The Rutland map is corrected to 1831, and this example was sold in atlas format.
Original outline colour. Samuel Lewis' Topographical Dictionary of England ran to several editions, with the county maps bound into a separate atlas volume. The maps were drawn by R. Creighton and engraved by J.& C. Walker.
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. 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 the 1848 edition of Barclay's Dictionary. Modern colour. Supplied mounted and ready to frame.
J. Duncan A Complete County Atlas of England and Wales 1840-45 (1825)
Coloured. These maps were first published in 1825, and probably sold singly. In 1833 they were re-published by James Duncan in a thematic atlas to illustrate the representative changes brought about by the 1832 Reform Act. There were later re-issues in 1840 and 1845 with the addition of railways, and this map dates from one of these editions.
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.
C. Smith New English Atlas (reduced maps) 182/1833 (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.
Rowe's maps were firstproduced between 1812 and 1814, and probably sold singly before their appearance in Rowe's English Atlas of 1816. They were subsequently acquired by a succession of later publishers and used in a variety of their works. During this time they were modified and updated. This example is the second lithographic transfer for Clarke's British Gazetteer, published in 1852 by H.G. Collins. Remargined where folded and trimmed close to bottom right hand border to fit the volume. Some creasing, two internal repaired tears along folds, and a toned segment in the upper right of the map. Priced accordingly.
This detailed and well engraved map was one of a set first published around 1812-14 by Robert Rowe, who was probably also their draftsman and engraver. The maps were initially sold singly in folding format until their collective issue in 1816 as The English Atlas. The plates were later acquired by Henry Teesdale, who amended titles and imprints and re-issued the work as the New British Atlas in 1829, with several re-issues up to 1842. The plates were later acquired and used by H.G. Collins and then by G. Philip and Son, who both used them as the base for lithographic transfers for a variety of works up to c1860. This example is from the 1830 second edition of Teesdale's atlas. Original wash colour. A couple of very short, repaired, marginal tears, not affecting the printed image.
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. A very short, repaired tear to the top left margin, not affecting the printed area.
The New British Traveller was originally issued as a weekly partwork by the publisher Alexander Hogg, commencing in 1783. Once the series of 60 parts was completed in 1784 title pages were provided for the pages to be bound in a single volume. The work is a topographical review of Great Britain, containing numerous prints and a set of county and general maps. The maps are of varying sizes, being typically arranged 2,3 or 4 to a single page, with adjoining borders. When separated this means individual maps will be trimmed to the border on one or two sides and are often re-margined for mounting and framing. The map of Leicestershire and Rutland is re-margined on two sides and sold ready-mounted. The text pages for the county may be available on request at no extra charge.
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. 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 the 1848 edition of Barclay's Dictionary. Modern colour. Supplied mounted and ready to frame.
R. Blome England Exactly Described 1715 (1681)
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. These early editions of the work did not include a separate map od Rutland, the county appearing, almost as an afterthought, on the Leicestershire map.The printing plates were subsequently acquired by Thomas Taylor who brought out a new edition of the maps in 1715, titled England Exactly Described, and now with a separate map of Rutland, possibly engraved by Henry Hulsbergh. There were further editions of England Exactly Described in 1715 (by Taylor), and in c1731 (by Thomas Bakewell). These later editions had roads added to the maps. This example of the Rutlandshire map is from the 1715 edition of the work. Original hand colour.
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 1742, and is from the second edition of the work, with added place names. Modern colour.
Jan Jansson was one of Amsterdam's leading 17th century mapmakers, and a close rival to the Blaeu family. This map was first published 1646 in the Latin text edition of Jansson’s Atlas Novus. In 1694 the plates were acquired by P. Schenk and G. Valck who made various changes to them and continued to sell the maps singly up to c1714. There were later re-issues by David Mortier, and Joseph Smith in the Atals Anglois beteen 1714 and 1724. This copy dates from c1694-1714. Original colour. The map is currently in a reasonable frame, but can be deframed for posting.