The first edition of Herman Moll's first English county atlas in a later issue. The first announcement of the publication occurred in the Daily Journal 31 July 1724. Moll (1654?-1732) is believed to have been born in Bremen, Germany, around 1654 and arrived in England from Holland by 1678. He rose to become one of the most successful cartographers of his era. His engraving style is unique and attractive. By 1724 Moll had already published several successful works. The New Description of England and Wales …, including text by an unknown hand, was his first English county atlas.Encouragement for the work came from William Stukeley, who in the preface is recalled as having presented the first map in the book ‘to encourage this Design’. Moll had three partners in the project, identified in the imprint of the title. These were Charles Rivington and the successful publishing brothers of Thomas and John Bowles. Thomas Bowles and Moll had already worked tentatively together on an unsuccessful book of road strips in 1718. The text is derived from Camden and arranged in a similar order although the preface states that ‘we have been able to rectify many Errors … overlooked by those … who have gone before us’. He goes on to espouse the efforts he put in to adjusting the outlines of the county borders so that they more accurately agree with each other. Further additions include references to the mining of coal, tin, copper and others. The maps themselves are largely derived from those of Robert Morden’s Britannia of 1695. The mileage figures displayed on the roads derive from those of John Ogilby’s Britannia, 1675. Each county map bears engraved down both sides of the map a series of antiquities, ancient coins, natural features and other curiosities. The next incarnation of the series of maps was as an atlas without text entitled A Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales dated the same year 1724. Judging by the number of surviving examples, this second work appears to have been much more successful. For its issue plate numbers were added to the maps to facilitate the order of binding. In this example the map of Middlesex bears the additional reference below the title 'Agreable to Modern History' [sic]. This was added for its inclusion in the fourteenth volume of Thomas Salmon's Modern History published in 1731. The additional manuscript notation inside the upper board dated 1734 would support the fact that this is a late issue. In 1733 a further edition was issued of which only one example survives. Provenance: '1734. London 1 guinea' written by an early hand inside front cover; Christies South Kensington 30 May 2002 lot 241; private English collection. Chubb (1927) 160; ESTC T145692; Hodson (1984-97) 173; Shirley (2004) T.Moll 6a & G.Salm 1a no. 35; Tyacke (1978); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

Herman Moll was a Dutchman who settled in England by 1678. His contributions to the cartographic world over the ensuing decades were considerable. This map is from the 'A New Description of England and Wales', an English County Atlas published in 1724. That same year the maps also appeared as 'A Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales'. The maps most distinguishing features are the decorative antiquities which surround the map but what is little known is that for 'H. Moll's British Atlas' published in 1753 they were removed as here. Only FOUR KNOWN EXAMPLES survive of this atlas. A very rare set of maps of Yorkshire. Hodson but refer to 178; Whittaker 20.

Herman Moll was a Dutchman who settled in England by 1678. His contributions to the cartographic world over the ensuing decades were considerable. This map is from the 'A New Description of England and Wales', an English County atlas published in 1724. That same year the maps also appeared as 'A Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales'. The maps most distinguishing features are the decorative antiquities which surround the map. This is an example of the second state of the map of Suffolk. Hodson 173.

EXTREMELY RARE WITH SIDE PANELS REMOVED. This map is originally from the 'A New Description of England and Wales', an English County Atlas first published in 1724. That same year the maps also appeared as 'A Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales'. The maps most distinguishing features were the decorative antiquities either side of the map but what is little known is that for 'H. Moll's British Atlas' published in 1753 they were removed as here. Only FOUR KNOWN EXAMPLES survive of this atlas. One further edition of the atlas entitled 'The Travellers Companion' appeared c.1766 of which only one known copy survives. For this issue many details, especially road information, have been revised. Above the title a new road 'to Meriden & Coventry' is added, lower right an extensive network of roads are added to and from Broadway. A further plate number 43 is added upper right. Herman Moll was a Dutchman who settled in England by 1678. Provenance: Private English collection. Hodson 178 & III 178a.

This map of south western France is from the first edition of Montecalerio's ecclesiastical atlas whose maps show the various Capuchin establishments. It extends from Montpelier to Toulouse. An uncommon work. Cremonini 28 no. 14; Phillips 7650; Shirley BL Atlases G.Mont 1a no. 37.

This map of the Saxon Heptarchy is from Edmund Gibson's edition of Camden's 'Britannia'. Gibson announced that his maps engraved by Robert Morden utilised unpublished surveys where available and the knowledge of local gentlemen who supplied corrections. Morden was an accomplished bookseller and publisher who contributed a great deal to geography and cartography. Morden's maps were very popular. 'Britannia' was first published in 1695, and subsequently in 1722, c.1730, 1753 & 1772. Shirley, R.W. (BI 1650-1750) Morden 12; Skelton no. 117.

This lovely rare little map was first issued in Robert Morden's 'Geography Rectified', 1680. This is an example of the second state with a revised title, and many new toponyms. In this state it first appeared in the second edition in 1688. Shirley Atlases in the BL T.Mord 2a no. 48.

A rare later state of Robert Morden’s playing cards first published in 1676. From ‘A Brief Description of England and Wales’ by Homan Turpin. The whereabouts of the plates since Morden last issued them is unknown, but they eventually came into Turpin’s possession. He was a bookseller working at the imprint address from 1764 to 1787 who interestingly traded in second-hand books and buying libraries. The date of their issue is speculative, as none of the six known Turpin catalogues list the cards it has been presumed to have been issued late in his career. There are no suit marks present although the numeration in Roman and Arabic may still be found as this was part of the engraved plate. Refer Booth pp.59-60; Hodson no. 273; Mann & Kingsley ‘Playing Cards’, in Map Collector Series no. 87 p. 26, 3.3.

From Edmund Gibson's edition of Camden's 'Britannia' first published in 1695. Gibson announced that his maps engraved by Robert Morden utilised unpublished surveys where available and the knowledge of local gentlemen who supplied corrections. Morden was an accomplished bookseller and publisher who contributed a great deal to geography and cartography. Morden's maps were very popular. This is a rare example in EARLY OUTLINE COLOUR. Skelton no. 117.

A nice example of a very rare cartographic playing card. Morden's cards usually come in two states, but that of Cornwall was only issued in one. It was first advertised in the ‘Term Catalogues’ for Easter Term 1676 ‘The 52 Countries [sic] of England and Wales, described in a Pack of Cards … Sold by Robert Morden at the Atlas in Cornhill, Will. Berry at the Globe in the Strand, Robert Green in Budge Row, and George Minikin at the King’s Head in S. Martin’s.’ The second state was advertised in the ‘Term Catalogues’ for October of the same year, 1676.Following the Restoration of King Charles II there was much renewed interest in the pleasures of life in England after the puritan values of the Cromwell era. Amongst these was a keen desire for gaming, including the use of packs of cards. Geographical cards had been issued before this date but they usually constituted descriptive text with or without a small illustration of some kind; for example, those of H. Winstanley in 1665. The mid-1670s saw a rush of cards bearing maps. Arber (1903-06) I. 263; Mann & Kingsley (1972) p. 26; Quixley (1966) no. 19; Skelton (1970) no. 94; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).