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GREENWOOD, Christopher & John : Atlas of the Counties of England from Actual Surveys Made from the years 1817-33

Greenwood & Co., London, 1834

First and only edition. Folio (640 x 395 mm.), contemporary publisher’s half morocco, cloth boards, gilt title to upper boards. With blind and gilt compartments to spine and gilt embossed title. Engraved title-page containing an early wash coloured map of England and Wales, 46 double-page early wash coloured engraved maps by J. and J. Neale, J. and C. Walker and others. Those of Lancashire and Lincolnshire shaved upper and lower margins as is often the case due to their size. Some light offsetting otherwise AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE.

Following the extensive work carried out by Christopher and John Greenwood on the series of large scale county surveys a reduced sized atlas was planned. It was advertised in 1828 to appear in four parts at three guineas per part and began as early as 1829, the date recorded on 11 of the plates. There were to be 46 plates, all at the scale of one-third of an inch to a mile. They ran into financial difficulties towards the end and had to take in partners to finish in 1834. 'For detail, general accuracy and balance allied to high quality engraving and colouring these sheets are probably the finest ever single sheet maps of the counties’ (Carroll). The maps are reductions of Greenwood's large scale maps of the counties as stated with the exception of those of Bucks, Cambridge, Hereford, Hertford, Norfolk and Oxford which they did not survey. Studies of individual counties show many were improved with new detail on a regular basis. Closer examination shows that this example of the atlas is an early one. Provenance: With bookplate of Roy Harvey Johnstone pasted inside front cover, dispersed at Sotheby's, London, 20 September 2001 lot 23. Carroll 102; Chubb 458a; Tooley's 'Dictionary'.

GREENWOOD, Christopher & John : Atlas of the Counties of England, from Actual Surveys made from the years 1817-33

Greenwood & Co., Burleigh Street, Strand, London, 1834

Large folio (665 x 435 mm.), full contemporary calf, ornate gilt panelled, rebacked with gilt red calf title label, marbled endpapers. With engraved title-page containing an early wash coloured map of England and Wales, 46 double-page early wash coloured engraved maps by J. and J. Neale, J. and C. Walker and others, Berkshire, Leicester, Stafford, Sussex, Warwick and Wiltshire with split centrefolds, one or two lesser ones, Lancashire and Lincolnshire just shaved which is often the case due to their size, some light offsetting and mild creases as often the case, otherwise a good example.

Following the extensive work carried out by Christopher and John Greenwood on the series of large scale county surveys, a reduced sized atlas was planned. It was advertised in 1828 to appear in four parts at three guineas per part and began as early as 1829, the date recorded on 11 of the plates. There were to be 46 plates, all at the scale of one-third of an inch to a mile. They ran into financial difficulties towards the end and had to take in partners to finish in 1834. 'For detail, general accuracy and balance allied to high quality engraving and colouring these sheets are probably the finest ever single sheet maps of the counties’ (Carroll). The maps are reductions of Greenwood's large scale maps of the counties as stated with the exception of those of Bucks, Cambridge, Hereford, Hertford, Norfolk and Oxford which they did not survey. Studies of individual counties show many were improved with new detail on a regular basis. Provenance: with private English collection. Carroll (1996) 102; Chubb (1927) 458b; Tooley (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

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