Ex 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 Gibson announced that his maps engraved by Robert Morden utilised unpublished surveys where available and the knowledge of local gentlemen who supplied corrections.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. This is an example from the first edition. Skelton no. 117.

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.

This map is from the first edition of Edmund Gibson's 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 Gibson announced that his maps engraved by Robert Morden utilised unpublished surveys where available and the knowledge of local gentlemen who supplied corrections.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, 1730, 1753 & 1772. This example is of the first state with the misspelt title. Refer to Skelton no. 117.

Ex 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 Gibson announced that his maps engraved by Robert Morden utilised unpublished surveys where available and the knowledge of local gentlemen who supplied corrections.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. This is an example from the first edition. Skelton no. 117.

FIRST EDITION. Robert Morden was by 1701 a successful publisher on the London scene. His most notable cartographic contribution to date was arguably the county maps for Gibson's edition of Camden's 'Britannia' in 1695. A smaller more manageable atlas seemed to be called for and in 1701 he teamed up with Thomas Cockeril and Ralph Smith to produce 'The New Description and State of England'. Morden contributed 54 small maps known as miniature Morden's. The work was issued in differing formats in the same year and re-published similarly in 1704. In 1708, they appeared under the title of 'Fifty Six New and Accurate Maps', which included in fact 57 maps. The next phase in the life of the quarto Robert Morden plates was to accompany one of the earliest serialised published works. The first part of the Magna Britannia was published in January 1714, a total of 92 parts would be issued before completion in April 1731. The original conception was to be a part of another substantial work entitled the Atlas Geographicus. However, it was soon realised that with so much material available for the work that a separate publication for the British Isles was justified.At first it was the publisher’s intention to issue one part per month but inevitably it fell behind. John Nicholson who had been behind many of the newly engraved plates died about May 1717. From part 21, issued in April 1718, each one was printed and sold by Nutt and Morphew. Then Morphew died on 18 November 1720 and publication inevitably slowed. The ‘Evening Post’ 21-23 March 1723 the new publisher Elizabeth Bell announced ‘The Occasion of the great Delay that has attended this Work was owing to the Decease of several of the Proprietors.’ She herself died in April 1724 and ownership changed for the last time to Thomas Cox. The final 92nd part for England appeared in April 1731, seventeen years after it began. The remainder of Great Britain and Ireland was never published.Of the original Morden copper plate maps only the 40 representing the English counties were utilised. The three general maps introduced in 1708, the 12 Welsh counties and Monmouthshire are all unused. Six new plates were introduced, all in the first volume; a general map of the British Isles, two historical maps of the same, a map in two parts of the River Thames derived from Philip Lea, a map of the rivers and coasts of England and finally a reduction of Sir Jonas Moore’s map of the Fenns. Hodson does not call for the map of the Smaller Islands but it is here present bound with the Hampshire section as is usual in the earlier works in the series. Each county map is accompanied by a table of distances derived from those of John Norden in 1625.This example is extra illustrated with numerous plates inserted into the text and two further maps. One is the John Speed of Berkshire in an early issue with George Humble’s imprint alone and no text on the verso. The other is Thomas Kitchin’s plan of ten miles around London first published in 1747. Provenance: bookplates of ‘Ja. Baldwin Rr: de Bunwell’ and James Beethom Whitehead pasted inside front covers: private English collection. Chubb (1927) 127; Darlington & Howgego (1964) no. 97; ESTC T107759; Hodson (1984-97) no. 128; Shirley (2004) T.Mord 4d; Tyacke (1978) 400.

An extremely rare sea chart of the English Channel and North Sea engraved by Francis Lamb. A first state with typographic side panels including keys to the letters on the map survives bound into an undated example of Robert Morden's 'Geography Rectified' in the British Library (Maps C.39.a.11) dated to c.1687. The left side is keyed to the English coast, the right side keyed to the Dutch coast. However the address of William Berry in the title is for the premises occupied between 1672 and 1676. "Two of the most active publishers and mapsellers in London during the end of the seventeenth century were Robert Morden (fl. 1669-d.1703) and William Berry (1639-1718). At the beginning of their careers it appears they worked in partnership. The 'Term Catalogues' detail publications together between 1673 and 1677. Most early records, including those of the diarist Samuel Pepys, refer to their activity in the production of globes. The last known evidence of a partnership was their petition to the crown in September 1678 for a licence to produce a folio atlas of the world in an ‘alphabeticall manner’. This would become the sole production of Berry. Morden and Berry would both sell Richard Daniel’s map of c.1679. Morden began with a shop shortly after the Great Fire of 1666. His reputation is underrated, indeed Worms describes him as ‘a prolific and inventive map maker whose critical reputation despite a string of innovations, remains undeservedly low’ (Burden).The atlas contains maps first printed in the 1680 edition of Morden's 'Geography Rectified'. In 1688 a new edition was published with a new series of copper plate maps. A further clue to the date of issue of this second state might be another very similar map engraved by Herman Moll entitled 'A New Map of the Sea Coast of England Holland & France' by John Taylor and Thomas Newbery which is dated 22 October 1688 (BL Maps 1068.(7)). The date is significant for this is the year of the Glorious Revolution in England when William, Prince of Orange, was invited to England to take the throne as William III. In October William had made his first attempt to sail to England only to be turned back by inclement weather. He finally arrived at Torbay on 5 November 1688. This Morden and Berry map undated in the first state is here dated 1688 for similar reasons.This second state has had the two side keys engraved on the map itself, in doing so the previous title has had to be re-engraved and slightly re-worded. The key to the Dutch coast replaces the scale which is re-engraved at the top of the map. Likewise the rhumb lines appear to have been either erased or worn with use. This second state is found in an example of 'Twenty four New and Accurate Maps of the several Parts of Europe' 1707 bound with Robert Morden's 'Fifty Six New and Accurate Maps' of the English Counties' in the British Library (Maps C.24.b.25). The addition of 'Pag. 77' upper right has not been linked to any known work. Provenance: private English collection. Baynton-Williams MapForum no. 13 'Collation Hermann Moll's 'Maps of the Several Parts of Europe''; Burden (2007) 431; Shirley BL T.Moll 2a no. 24 & T.Mord 2b no. 3; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

An UNRECORDED AND APPARENTLY UNIQUE EXAMPLE of a sea chart of the English Channel and North Sea engraved by Francis Lamb. The address given in the imprint by William Berry was occupied by him in the period 1672-76. This chart was likely published at the time of the Third Anglo-Dutch War 1672-74. Morden and Berry had already published a map of the Seventeen Provinces of the Low Countries at the outbreak of hostilities. England declared war at the end of March 1672 and in the 'London Gazette' for 2-6 May were already advertising the map. It is highly likely that this chart was issued at a similar time. There is no mention retrospectively of any aspects of the war which might support an argument that says it was issued to illustrate the forthcoming conflict."Two of the most active publishers and mapsellers in London during the end of the seventeenth century were Robert Morden (fl. 1669-d.1703) and William Berry (1639-1718). At the beginning of their careers it appears they worked in partnership. The 'Term Catalogues' detail publications together between 1673 and 1677. Most early records, including those of the diarist Samuel Pepys, refer to their activity in the production of globes. The last known evidence of a partnership was their petition to the crown in September 1678 for a licence to produce a folio atlas of the world in an ‘alphabeticall manner’. This would become the sole production of Berry. Morden and Berry would both sell Richard Daniel’s map of c.1679. Morden began with a shop shortly after the Great Fire of 1666. His reputation is underrated, indeed Worms describes him as ‘a prolific and inventive map maker whose critical reputation despite a string of innovations, remains undeservedly low’." (Burden).The map is engraved by Francis Lamb (fl.1667-1701). It extends from Normandy and Southampton to Texel and York and is centred on the Straits of Dover. An extensive search has revealed that this appears to be the only known example. Further research also identifies that the plate was purchased soon after by John Seller and is found included three known atlases. These are the 'Atlas Maritimus' owned by the Earl of Essex and those at Yale (CBA Atlas Folio A); BL Maps 1066.(6). When Seller entered financial difficulties and went into a partnership otherwise referred to as the Combine in 1677 a third state was issued. Examples of the map in this state have been located in three further atlases; Library of Congress 'Atlas Maritimus' (Phillips 4150); BL untitled atlas (Maps C.27.d.17) M.Sell 4a no. 53; NMM Thornton 'Atlas Maritimus' Sanderson 449 no. 10. A reduction of this map was also published by Morden and Berry at a similar date using the same addresses. Provenance: Clive A. Burden Ltd; private English collection. Burden (2007) 431; Tyacke (1978) no. 11; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

Ex 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. This is an example from the first edition. Skelton no. 117.

Ex 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. Refer to Skelton no. 117

FIRST STATE. A nice example of a very rare cartographic playing card. Robert Morden's cards usually come in two states, this is an example of the first before the addition of neighbouring counties. It was first advertised in the ‘Term Catalogues’ for Easter Term 1676 as ‘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; Skelton (1970) no. 94; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).