Buy this book on-line CAPPER, Benjamin Pitts : A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom; compiled from Parliamentary, and other Authentic Documents and Authorities; containing Geographical, Topographical, & Statistical Accounts of every District, Object, and Place, in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the various small islands dependent on the British Empire
Richard Phillips, Bridge-Street, Blackfriars, London, 1808
Octavo, two volumes (215 x 130 mm. each), full contemporary mottled calf, gilt panelled, spines with gilt ruled compartments, each with gilt central feature, red and blue calf gilt title and volume numbers, marbled endpapers. With typographic title page, pp. xiv, (2), unpaginated signatures B8-Ll2; Ll3-3X2, with 46 engraved maps comprising general map of the British Isles (folding), 40 single sheet English county maps, Wales (folding) and 2 sheet maps of Ireland and Scotland, all folding, all in fine early wash colour, some light spotting to text at the beginning of volume one, otherwise in good condition.
FIRST EDITION. Benjamin Pitts Capper produced just this one work but it proved to be a successful one. It was first published by Richard Phillips (1767-1840) in 1808. Capper worked in the Secretary of State’s office. The Introduction states that the ‘compiler having assisted in preparing the abstracts of the answer and returns made to the Population Act, as well as in arranging the returns of the Cultivation of the Kingdom, which were laid before Parliament, in 1802, he has been enabled to correct in this Work every error which appeared in the account printed for the Parliament’.Phillips was born in London to a Leicestershire family. He founded the ‘Leicester Herald’ in 1792. He was sentenced to 18 months in gaol for selling Thomas Paine's 'Rights of Man' the following year. In 1795 his premised burnt to the ground and with the insurance money he returned to London where he founded 'The Antiquarians' Magazine and Monthly Magazine'. He became Sheriff of London and Middlesex in 1807 and was knighted in 1808.To accompany the work, Phillips employed Henry Cooper (fl.1804-19) to engrave a series of plates. They are loosely drawn on those of Cary. Wales is described in the list of maps as consisting of two plates when in fact it is just one. The title page announces the work is available ‘Price 24s. complete in boards’ although the work can be acquired without maps for 18s. Similarly, the maps may be bound alone for 9s. or with colour for 12s. and entitled ‘Atlas of the British Islands’, a very rare work. Phillips was bankrupted in 1811 and sold the rights in the book to the new publishers Longman, Hurst, Rees and Co. Provenance: private English collection. Carroll (1996) no. 64; Chubb (1927) 327; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).
CAPPER, Benjamin Pitts : A Topographical Dictionary of the United Kingdom; compiled from Parliamentary, and other Authentic Documents and Authorities; containing Geographical, Topographical, & Statistical Accounts of every District, Object, and Place, in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the various small islands dependent on the British Empire is listed for sale on Bibliophile Bookbase by Clive A. Burden Ltd..
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