Item details: Lewis's New Traveller's Guide, or a Pocket Edition of the English Counties. Containing all the Direct & Cross Roads in England & Wales
£ 395.00
LEWIS, William
Lewis's New Traveller's Guide, or a Pocket Edition of the English Counties. Containing all the Direct & Cross Roads in England & Wales
Imprint: London, W. Lewis, No. 21 Finch Lane, Cornhill, [1819]
Binding: Hardback
Inscription: Signed, Inscribed Or Annotated
Octavo (155 x 125 mm.), contemporary half red calf, ornate blind ruling, with marbled paper boards, spine with gilt panelled title. With general map of England and Wales, engraved title page, Preface dated 1819, Contents, List of Mail-Coaches etc., 40 maps of the counties, North and South Wales as called for, in all 43 maps, each with a page of descriptive text, Yorkshire folding, all in full contemporary wash colour. Some light foxing to the text, generally clean, otherwise a good example.
This fine little series of maps was first published by James Wallis (fl.1810-25) c.1812 as 'Wallis’ New Pocket Edition of the English Counties or Traveller’s Companion'. The maps are easily distinguished by the design of the title at the top of the map. They include a wealth of information with a key in the lower margin. A further edition was published c.1814 before they were used in two works by Patrick Martin, as the extremely rare 'Sportsman’s Almanack' and the 'New Travellers Guide' surviving in just the one known example. By 1819 the work was in the hands of William Lewis (fl.1796-1838) who reissued it as 'Lewis's, New Traveller's Guide'. For the work a new title page was engraved with an attractive vignette of a coach and four with postillions. Although undated the Preface is signed 16 October 1819. It was first issued with the maps still bearing the imprint of Martin below. This was understandably altered quickly; this example bears the corrected imprints of Lewis at Finch Lane. There have been some alterations to many of the maps, roads have been re-engraved, the etching to the coast lines has been removed and many new placenames added. All of them are in lovely full early wash colour. The atlas was issued for many years unaltered and here the maps of Essex and Warwickshire, Worcestershire and South Wales all bear watermarks of Whatman 1821. Provenance: private English collection. Carroll (1996) 68; Chubb (1927) 364; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).
Stock number:9792.