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DODSLEY, Robert and James : England Illustrated or a Compendium of the Natural History, Geography, Topography and Antiquities Ecclesiastical and Civil, Of England and Wales. With Maps of the several Counties

Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-mall, London, 1763[64]

Quarto, two volumes (290 x 230 mm. each), full contemporary calf, rebacked, spines with decorative gilt ruled compartments, gilt calf title and volume number labels. With typographic title page, Preface, Contents, Introduction, pp. (8), xiii, blank, 426; typographic title page, Contents, pp. (4), 490, with two general folding maps, 52 engraved county maps, all by Thomas Kitchin and all in early outline colour, 39 engraved town views and numerous other engravings set in the text, complete with blank endpapers, some offsetting from maps to text second folding map wrinkled, otherwise a good example.

An EARLY OUTLINE COLOURED example. Thomas Kitchin (1718-84) was one of the most notable English cartographers of the eighteenth century. He was both an engraver and publisher of considerable reputation who was made Hydrographer to King George III. He worked with many of his contemporaries on various projects. In late October 1763 Robert (1703-64) and James Dodsley announced the publication of the two-volume 'England Illustrated' utilising 54 maps engraved by Kitchin. Each map was accompanied by descriptive text of the county with engravings by others. The maps give remarkable detail of major roads, each having a decorative cartouche. The atlas appeared on time being advertised as available on the 1 December 1763. A total of 1000 copies were printed. The same maps were re-issued in 1765 by James Dodsley as 'Kitchen’s English Atlas', a very rare work. Robert Dodsley died on 23 September 1764, he was a successful writer, poet and publisher before moving into cartographic items. His first contribution was John Cowley’s 'Geography of England', 1744. Provenance: bookplates to both volumes of Myles Storr Nigel Kennedy (1889-1964), barrister, army officer and politician; private English collection. Beresiner pp. 98-9; Chubb 224; Hodson 231; Shirley BL T.Kit 3a.

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