A rare map of central Asia published in Giacomo Gastaldi's influential edition of Ptolemy's "Geographia". Gastaldi was arguably the greatest Italian cartographer of the sixteenth century. It is also the world's first printed pocket atlas, and the first to use a mechanism to hold the plates in position so that the impression was good and level. The map is adorned with a cannibal scene upper right within the map and two further images in the upper corners. Karrow, R.W. (16 c.) 30/51; Nordenskiold Collection 214; Phillips, P.L. (Atlases) 369; Shirley "Atlases in the BL" T.Ptol 9a.

Ptolemy's depiction of Persia or Iran as published in Giacomo Gastaldi's influential edition of Ptolemy's "Geographia". Gastaldi was arguably the greatest Italian cartographer of the sixteenth century. It is also the world's first printed pocket atlas, and the first to use a mechanism to hold the plates in position so that the impression was good and level. Karrow, R.W. (16 c.) 30/64; Nordenskiold Collection 214; Phillips, P.L. (Atlases) 369; Shirley World no. 88; Shirley "Atlases in the BL" T.Ptol 9a.

This fine rare sea chart of the Aegean Sea was first published in Mount & Page's 'English Pilot Part Three' in 1716. Engraved by Samuel Parker this example is from the 1747 edition. Dotted or 'Prickt Lines shows The best Passage up the Arches'. The 'Arches' were the colloquial name for the Archipelago. There is a fascinating depiction of Sentorim (Santorini) with a nearby 'Burning I' showing an erupting volcano. NMM 425 no. 146; Shirley 'Atlases in the BL' M.M&P 3b no. 24; Sphyroeras, Avramea and Asdrahas 'Maps and Map-Makers of the Aegean' fig. 127 (incorrectly attributing the map to Seller); Zacharakis 2162.

This small map of Cornwall is from one of the rarest of the English County atlases. John Gibson (fl.1750-1787) was an engraver who worked for several of the cartographers of the day. Published and advertised extensively in May of 1759 by John Newbery (1713-67), the ‘New and Accurate Maps ...’ was most probably intended for children. Newbery was the first to provide educational books for children. His name is honoured in America with the annual award of a medal since 1922 for the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature by an American resident. Chubb (1927) no. 213; Hodson 40; Hodson (1984-97) 219-20; Quixley (1966) 36 & (2018) 45; Shirley (2004) T.Gib 2a.

John Gibson (fl.1750-1787) was an engraver who worked for several of the cartographers of the day. This atlas was first published and advertised extensively in May of 1759 by John Newbery (1713-67), it was most probably intended for children. Newbery was the first to provide educational books for children. His name is honoured in America with the annual award of a medal since 1922 for the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature by an American resident. There were two editions of this pretty county atlas, both of which are very rare. Newbery died on 22 December 1767 and the business was continued by his son, Francis Newbery, and his stepson, Thomas Carnan. As half-brothers, they continued in business for a while but somewhere around 1779 or 1780 Newbery left to sell ‘quack’ medicines. As the imprint is for the remaining Thomas Carnan alone it might be presumed that this edition followed shortly after. Certainly, before his own death on 29 July 1788. The business was continued by John Newbery’s grandson Francis Power until about 1792. It is likely he continued to sell the little atlas during this period but no evidence of this has been found and certainly there is no later edition of the work noted. Provenance: manuscript ownership inscription repeated twice inside cover 'Ann Thompson's Book Sepr. 23d Winlaton 1825', Winlaton is in the county of Durham; private English collection. This edition not in the British Library. Chubb (1927) 214 (only one copy seen); ESTC T301091; Hodson (1984-97) 220; refer Shirley (2004) T.Gib 2a.

The FIRST EDITION of Gibson’s highly desirable little atlas. John Gibson (fl.1750-1787) was an engraver who worked for several of the cartographers of the day. Published and advertised extensively in May of 1759 by John Newbery (1713-67), the New and Accurate Maps ... was most probably intended for children. Newbery had married the widow of William Carnan in 1740, the owner and publisher of The Reading Mercury and Oxford Gazette and at first' he continued to run the business. It was one of the earliest papers outside of London to which he moved in 1744. Newbery was the first publisher to focus on the market for children’s books, most of which he priced around 6d. or 1s. So this work was one of his most expensive items on offer at 4s. and 5s. 6d. coloured. In 1758, Newberry had published the Atlas Minimus, with plates engraved by Gibson, a similar sized world atlas. It is Newbery who is depicted in Oliver Goldsmith’s The Vicar of Wakefield as the philanthropic bookseller. He also published Goody Two Shoes, the first in his series of the Juvenile Library. Newbery's name is honoured in America with the annual award of a medal since 1922 for the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature by an American resident.Below the title is a brief explanation of the symbols used on the maps. They themselves contain some brief topographical and statistical notes. Most of the maps are drawn from Morden, although Hodson identifies more recent sources for some maps. These are usually large scale county surveys which were beginning to appear on the market at the time. There were two editions of this pretty county atlas, both of which are very rare. On Newbery’s death, the business was taken over by his son, Francis Newbery, and his stepson, Thomas Carnan. Provenance: manuscript inscription above title of Hannah Donnellan; manuscript inscription on front free endpaper of 'Roger ? Mainwaring? 1817'; and 'Daphne M. Wells August 1943'; and 'Nicholas James Garlick July 1954'; private English collection. Chubb (1927) no. 213; not in ESTC; Hodson (1984-97) no. 219; Shirley (2004) T.Gib 2a.

A fine aquatint engraving of North Street, Bishops Stortford, published in the year in which the railway arrived in town.

This is a rare and desirable sea chart of the Canary Islands. It shows La Palma, Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Forteventura and Lanzarote. An inset upper right features the harbour of Lanzerote. It was published in the first edition of Pieter Goos’ ‘Zee-Atlas’, a highly influential and regarded work. Koeman (1967-70) IV Goos IB no. 22; Phillips (1909-) 5690-22.

A rare early sea chart of the south western coastline of Africa extending from the Cape of Good Hope to Cabo Negro at 16 degrees south of the equator. This beautifully engraved chart displays critical waters in the Dutch East India Companies trade with the East Indies where all its vessels had to pass through. The map is derived from one by Jodocus Hondius which appears in a very rare pamphlet published in 1652. It described South Africa when Jan Van Riebeeck (1619-77) landed in Table Bay. Norwich described the chart as a “fine, decisive copperplate engraved map with a great deal of detail of the coastline”. There are two insets of which the smaller depicts Vlees Bay to the east of the Cape. The larger provides a detailed map and chart of the Cape of Good Hope including Table Mountain. Two ships adorn the sea with a compass rose orientating the map with north to the left. It was published in the ‘Zee-Atlas’ one of the finest Dutch sea atlases of the time. Goos’ marine charts were held in high esteem in the seventeenth century. Koeman (1967-70) IV Goos 1B no. 24; Norwich (1983) 243.

Sidney Hall (1788?-1831) began his career as an engraver for the Arrowsmith family. Hall was a prolific engraver of the period and according to Worms and Baynton-Williams 'was almost certainly the first engraver to use the new harder steel plates for map work, using plates manufactured by the Jacob Perkins process as early as 1821'. His first county maps were those published by Samuel Leigh in 1820 in Leigh’s New Picture of England and Wales, a miniature county atlas which proved a success. This series of maps was engraved for John Gorton's Topographical Dictionary issued in parts from 1831-32 and published by Chapman and Hall. There is no known familial link between the two Hall's. We cannot conclude for sure that Sidney Hall engraved all of the plates, as his will was proved 26 March 1831. The dates on the maps vary between 1830 and 1832. His widow Selina Hall was also an engraver and as she signed hers 'S. Hall', it is difficult to tell. The maps are bound alphabetically with those of Yorkshire, Ireland, Scotland and Wales consisting of two plates. A further general map of Inland Navigation is bound alphabetically. Population statistics are given from the Census for 1831. Provenance: Sir Willm. Bowyer Smyth, Bart. (1814-83), English cricketer and MP; Sotheby's sale of Shadwell Park, Thetford, Norfolk, 22 October 1992; private English collection. Carroll (1996) 94; Chubb (1927) 451; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).