This map was originally published in Jan Jansson's 'Atlas Novus'. When compared to the rival Blaeu county maps those of Jansson always appear more decorative. Jansson was a very successful publisher who continued the business first founded by the great Gerard Mercator and subsequently taken over by the Hondius family. This particular map is of Nottinghamshire, the French text is taken from Camden's 'Britannia'. Hodson 130; Skelton no. 34; Van der Krogt, P. (Atlantes) 5335:1.

ex 'Atlas Novus'. When compared to the rival Blaeu county maps those of Jansson always appear more decorative. Refer Skelton no. 34

ex'Atlas Minor'.

By the 1630s the publication houses of Willem Blaeu and Henricus Hondius were in a race to produce ever more new maps of the world. Hondius in partnership with Jan Jansson began collecting plates of Britain and in 1636 published an 'Appendix' of the 'Atlas' including 17 maps, two of which were general ones. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for the English edition published in 1636 and are only found in the German edition. This marks the beginning of the race between the two houses to produce a separate volume devoted to England and Wales which Blaeu would win in 1645. In 1644 a further 11 maps were issued in a Dutch 'Appendix'. Examples of maps from these early issues are very rare and highly desirable. The plates are often extensively altered for their ultimate issue in the completed work of 1646.A very rare example of the FIRST STATE of Jan Jansson’s map of the county of Norfolk. One of the fifteen so called pre-issue maps published in 1636 before the final work was completed in 1646. The most notable feature of this early state is the larger decorative title cartouche upper right, and the lack of shields upper left. The scale of miles is moved from upper left to lower left. Frostick Norfolk 12.1; Koeman (1967-70) II ME 44 no. 414; Van der Krogt (1997-2003) 5295:1.1; Map Collectors Circle Notes and Addenda pp. 16-18; Skelton (1970) pp. 225-6.

By the 1630s the publication houses of Willem Blaeu and Henricus Hondius were in a race to produce ever more new maps of the world. Hondius in partnership with Jan Jansson began collecting plates of Britain and in 1636 published an 'Appendix' of the Atlas including 17 maps, two of which were general ones. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for the English edition published in 1636 and are only found in the German edition. This marks the beginning of the race between the two houses to produce a separate volume devoted to England and Wales which Blaeu would win in 1645. In 1644 a further 11 maps were issued in a Dutch 'Appendix'. Examples of maps from these early issues are very rare and highly desirable. The plates are often extensively altered for their ultimate issue in the completed work, the 'Atlas Novus' of 1646.An example of the very rare FIRST STATE of Jan Jansson’s county map of Kent. When compared to the rival Blaeu county maps those of Jansson always appear more decorative. This map of Kent, with German text to the verso taken from Camden's 'Britannia', was first published in 1644. All so-called pre-issue Jansson county maps are rare and desirable. A comparison of the two states shows that the extremely ornate title cartouche was entirely re-engraved along with numerous other alterations. Jansson was a very successful publisher who continued the business first founded by the great Gerard Mercator and subsequently taken over by the Hondius family. Burgess 15 state 1; Koeman (1967-70) II ME 75A no. 559; Van der Krogt (1997-2003) 5290:1.1; Map Collectors Circle 34 'Notes and Addenda' pp. 16-18; Skelton (1970) no. 34, pp. 225-6.

By the 1630s the publication houses of Willem Blaeu and Henricus Hondius were in a race to produce ever more new maps of the world. Hondius in partnership with Jan Jansson began collecting plates of Britain and in 1636 published an Appendix of the Atlas including 17 maps, two of which were general ones. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for the English edition published in 1636 and are only found in the German edition. This marks the beginning of the race between the two houses to produce a separate volume devoted to England and Wales which Blaeu would win in 1645. In 1644 a further 11 maps were issued in a Dutch Appendix. Examples of maps from these early issues are very rare and highly desirable. The plates are often extensively altered for their ultimate issue in the completed work of 1646.A very rare example of the FIRST STATE of Jan Jansson’s map of the county of Cheshire. One of the fifteen so called pre-issue maps published in 1636 before the final work was completed in 1646. The most notable feature of this early state of Cheshire is the decorative title cartouche upper left, in the finished state it is moved lower left and replaced by seven coats of arms. Not so noticeable is that the imprint of Jan Jansson lower right below the scale of miles is erased and replaced with a whole new cartouche for the scale only. Jansson’s name is left out altogether. Koeman (1967-70) II ME 44 no. 414; Van der Krogt (1997-2003) 5375:1.1; Map Collectors Circle Notes and Addenda pp. 16-18; Skelton (1970) pp. 225-6.

This third version of Jodocus Hondius's original plate first appeared in 1647. It varied considerably from the earlier works with a cartouche upper right, sailing ships re-instated. Booth no. 5; Van der Krogt, P. (Atlantes) 5500:1B.

This attractively engraved map of the Baltic Sea by Thomas Jefferys was published in the March 1748 issue of the Gentleman's Magazine. A legend gives the details of the Treaty of Abo of the 16 June 1743 between Sweden and Russia. Jolly, D.C. (Brit Per) GENT-55.

A superb clean, strong example of an important atlas. Thomas Jefferys (1719-71) was arguably the most important English cartographer during the eighteenth century. A publisher, engraver, author and geographer of some note he was appointed Geographer to Frederick Prince of Wales in 1748, and later to King George III. It was during the Seven Years’ War that Jefferys made a name for himself as an authority on North American cartography. Many of those important maps are present in the atlas offered here. His other great contribution was in English County cartography being involved with a number of county atlases. But it was his large scale maps of the counties that extended his finances too far. His map of Devonshire in 1765 won the first ever prize of £100 offered by the Royal Society of Arts. By 1766 he was forced into bankruptcy. To survive Jefferys entered into partnerships, the most important of which was with the London map and printseller Robert Sayer. In 1768 his attention turned back to America when they published 'A General Topography of North America and the West Indies'. When Jefferys died in 1771, Sayer purchased a large amount of his stock. Sayer by then was in partnership with John Bennett. Together they continued to publish Jefferys’ maps, compiling amongst other atlases 'The American Atlas' offered here.This is arguably the first American ‘state’ atlas displaying as it does for the first time all of the American colonies in great detail. Ristow stated that as a ‘… major cartographic reference work it was very likely consulted by American, English and French civilian administrators and military officers during the Revolution.’ The first edition is dated 1775 with further issues in 1776, 1778, 1782, 1794 and 1800. The dates on the actual maps can be later than that on the title page. This is an example dated 1778 on the title page with the latest dated map being that of South America 1 July 1779. Amongst the significant maps included in this atlas are the surveys of the American continent in 6 sheets, Nova Scotia with Cape Breton Island, and New England by Braddock Mead (alias John Green), William Brasier's survey of Lake Champlain and the upper Hudson River valley, New York and New Jersey by Samuel Holland, the English edition of William Scull's map of Pennsylvania, Virginia by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson (father of Thomas, the third US President), the Carolinas by Henry Mouzon and Lieutenant Ross's map of the Mississippi River. A full list of contents is available. Provenance: private English collection acquired 1970s; private English collection. Harley, 'Imago Mundi' XX pp. 27-48; Howes J81; Phillips Atlases 3659a; Pritchard & Taliaferro p. 211; Ristow, Introduction to the facsimile edition (Amsterdam, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, 1976); Sabin 35953; Shirley, BL T.JEF 2c; Streeter I 72.

A wonderful bound collection of large scale maps of Yorkshire with a fine provenance including the extremely rare FIRST EDITION OF THE JOHN TUKE map. The first map within is by Thomas Jefferys (1719-71) and is an example of the FIRST EDITION of his great twenty-sheet large scale map of the county of Yorkshire. It was however issued posthumously as he died 20 November 1771. He was one of the great architects behind the rise of the large scale mapping of English counties during the middle of the eighteenth century. The survey of Yorkshire was undertaken by John Ainslie (1745-1828), Thomas Donald (fl.1750-c.1797) and Joseph Hodskinson (1735-1812) between 1767 and 1770. It is published on a scale of one inch to the mile and is considered one of Jefferys' finest productions. It consists of a general map as sheet V, a fine double page engraved title and excellent plans of Sheffield, Leeds, Ripon, Kingston-upon-Hull and Scarborough mostly drawn to the great scale of 132 yards to the inch. It also contains fine views of Middleham Castle and Fountains Abbey engraved by William Walker (1729-93) after Nicholas Thomas Dall. The map illustrates the three Ridings and also the individual Wapontakes with early outline colour.Bound with the FIRST STATE of the A VERY RARE separately published large scale map of Yorkshire by John Tuke. Little is known of Tuke in the carto-bibliographies other than that he was a land surveyor in York with printed maps issued between 1787 and 1798. Further research identifies the Tuke family as Quaker innovators. Members were behind what became the Rowntree's Cocoa Works, the Retreat Mental Hospital and three Quaker schools. John Tuke (30 June 1759-19 January 1841) was the fourth born or five children to William Tuke (1732-1822) and Elizabeth Hoyland (1729-60). William Tuke was a tea merchant and grocer in York and a pioneer in work on mental health. Our John Tuke was born in Lincroft, Bishopshill, York and married Sarah Mildred (1762-1829), daughter of Daniel Mildred and Lydia Daniel, on 16 Apr 1783. They had eight children and he died in Bishophill, York. In 1787 he would publish two maps, one of the region of Holderness (also found here) in Yorkshire, the other being this large four-sheet map of the whole county. Lower right below the beautiful engraved title cartouche of a north east view of York is the imprint of 'Wm. Darton Engr.. Birchin Lane, London'. It is unclear from this whether he is responsible for just the title cartouche or the whole map. Two insets appear on the map of which that upper right is entitled 'Reduced Map of the County of York describing the Roman Roads & c. and also the intended Grand Canal betwixt the Rivers Ouse and Humber ...' The Explanation below describes the different typography used to illustrate the Market towns, Parishes and other villages etc. Churches, Country Seats and Parks are also singled out as are the differing types of roads and, rivers, boundaries and the divisions of the Wapontakes. Lower left is an inset plan of Kingston upon Hull surveyed by Anthony Bower (fl.1781-1813+) in 1786. Copac only records four examples in institutions: British Library; Brotherton Library, Leeds (2 examples); Allen Collection, Bodleian Library, Oxford. Rodger in her extensive survey identifies six others. Beautifully wash coloured at the time by Wapontake. Bound with the rare separately published map of Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire. John Tuke’s ‘map of Holderness is of particular significance and, due to its large scale, it is possible to recognise areas which have now been eroded by the sea’ (Rawnsley). Actual distances to the sea from five villages are given but the most interesting part of the map is the identification of several towns lost to the sea noted just offshore. Some are even in the Humber Estuary. Examples are Pensthorpe, Birstall Garth, Owthorne, Sandley Meer and Auburne which amongst others have all since disappeared into the sea. Previous places washed away are also noted such as ‘Hartburn, washed away by the sea’, ‘Site of Hornsea Burton’ and others. This whole area of East Yorkshire has long been eroded by the sea, its most significant capture being Ravenser where King Henry IV landed in 1399. The town at one point rivalled Grimsby and Hull for importance. This map of Holderness includes Kingston upon Hull, Beverley and Hornsea.Provenance: Bears the bookplate of the Vernon-Harcourt family, most likely that of Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt (1757-1847), Archbishop of York. He was the third son of George Venables-Vernon, 1st Baron Vernon and it was he who inherited the Harcourt estate on the death of his cousin, the last of the Harcourt's. Collection of Ian Voase Askew (1921-2014), Wellingham Folly, Sussex. Eden (1975); Rawnsley (1970) 27 & 30; Rodgers (1972) 516 & 536, Whitaker 240; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).