Octavo (165 x 105 mm.), half recent calf, blind ruled, marbled paper boards. With blind ruled raised bands, each compartment with blind and gilt ruling, gilt calf title attached. With engraved title, dedication, 3 tables, 4 general and 42 county maps and rates for Hackney carriages etc. engraved throughout. Middlesex and Oxford with lower centrefold split, otherwise a good example.
Thomas Badeslade (fl.1719-1745) was a surveyor and engineer who was involved in many schemes to improve the waterways. He was also an established author and in 1742 he had William Henry Toms engrave a series of maps from his draughts and publish them as the 'Chorographia Britanniae'. It is the first pocket size English county atlas published in the eighteenth century. It is surprising that it took so long considering the runaway success of the 'Britannia Depicta' of 1720. This is the identical to Hodson's atlas 'J' will all maps dated 1742 below. This is a late 1742 edition as it includes the two plates numbered 49 and 50 of the 'Rates of the Hackney Coaches'. Provenance: acquired in 2011 from Brian Kentish for a private English collection. Beresiner pp. 49-50; Hodson no. 189; Shirley BL T.Bad 1b.