Catalog Archive
Auction 127, Lot 464

"[Lot of 4 - County Maps]", Blome, Richard

Subject: England

Period: 1673 (published)

Publication: Britannia

Color: Hand Color

Size:
9 x 7.5 inches
22.9 x 19.1 cm
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A nice group of county maps from this infamous edition of Britannia. The maps include dedication cartouches with coats of arms and decorative cartouches and other embellishments. (sizes vary slightly)

1) A Mapp of Kent with its Lathes and Hundreds
2) [Untitled - Essex]
3) A Mapp of the County of Lyncolne with its Divisions & Hundreds
4) A Mapp of ye County of Norfolke, with Its Hundreds

Richard Blome is one of the most interesting figures in cartographic history. He is most renowned for what his contemporaries considered the plagiarism of the maps in the Britannia from Camden and Speed. In actuality Blome did not claim that the maps were original works and the atlas filled an important gap in the market. In the preface he wrote, "I do not own myself the Author, but the Undertaker of this work". He was one of the most active publishers of illustrated books in post-Restoration London and his career provides in insight into the nature and activities of the London map and print trade of the period. There is an excellent biography on MapForum.com MapForum.com.

References:

Condition: C+

Original color with some minor foxing and centerfold separations. There is a worm track in the bottom margin of the Essex and the top margin of the map of Lyncolne is close trimmed as issued.

Estimate: $400 - $500

Unsold

Closed on 2/25/2009

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