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MOLL, Herman, H. Moll, T. Bowles, C. Rivington & J. Bowles : A New Description of England and Wales, With the Adjacent Islands. Wherein are contained, Diverse useful Observations and Discoveries … By Herman Moll, Geographer

Folio (350 x 225 mm.), full contemporary calf, boards with ornate blind panelling, rebacked with ribbed spine and gilt ruled compartments, with red calf gilt title label. Typographic title printed in red and black, with 50 engraved maps, the two general maps folding on evenly toned paper, a few engraved illustrations, pp. (2), xi, (1), 344, x. Kent with light wear at the outer margin, last few leaves with old water stain in the lower gutter, otherwise in good condition.

The first edition of Herman Moll's first English county atlas in a later issue. The first announcement of the publication occurred in the Daily Journal 31 July 1724. Moll (1654?-1732) is believed to have been born in Bremen, Germany, around 1654 and arrived in England from Holland by 1678. He rose to become one of the most successful cartographers of his era. His engraving style is unique and attractive. By 1724 Moll had already published several successful works. The New Description of England and Wales …, including text by an unknown hand, was his first English county atlas.Encouragement for the work came from William Stukeley, who in the preface is recalled as having presented the first map in the book ‘to encourage this Design’. Moll had three partners in the project, identified in the imprint of the title. These were Charles Rivington and the successful publishing brothers of Thomas and John Bowles. Thomas Bowles and Moll had already worked tentatively together on an unsuccessful book of road strips in 1718. The text is derived from Camden and arranged in a similar order although the preface states that ‘we have been able to rectify many Errors … overlooked by those … who have gone before us’. He goes on to espouse the efforts he put in to adjusting the outlines of the county borders so that they more accurately agree with each other. Further additions include references to the mining of coal, tin, copper and others. The maps themselves are largely derived from those of Robert Morden’s Britannia of 1695. The mileage figures displayed on the roads derive from those of John Ogilby’s Britannia, 1675. Each county map bears engraved down both sides of the map a series of antiquities, ancient coins, natural features and other curiosities. The next incarnation of the series of maps was as an atlas without text entitled A Set of Fifty New and Correct Maps of England and Wales dated the same year 1724. Judging by the number of surviving examples, this second work appears to have been much more successful. For its issue plate numbers were added to the maps to facilitate the order of binding. In this example the map of Middlesex bears the additional reference below the title 'Agreable to Modern History' [sic]. This was added for its inclusion in the fourteenth volume of Thomas Salmon's Modern History published in 1731. The additional manuscript notation inside the upper board dated 1734 would support the fact that this is a late issue. In 1733 a further edition was issued of which only one example survives. Provenance: '1734. London 1 guinea' written by an early hand inside front cover; Christies South Kensington 30 May 2002 lot 241; private English collection. Chubb (1927) 160; ESTC T145692; Hodson (1984-97) 173; Shirley (2004) T.Moll 6a & G.Salm 1a no. 35; Tyacke (1978); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

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