THE FIRST EDITION. One of the most attractive English county atlases of the early nineteenth century with each map adorned by a vignette view and all in early wash colour. Worms and Baynton-Williams state that Edward Langley (fl.1802-1827) might have been born 7 June 1771, the son of Henry and Mary Langley of London. Apprenticed to a printer in 1785 he went on to work in Dorking, Surrey. We do know that in 1805 he went into partnership with William Belch (fl.1805-43) from 1805 until 1819. Belch was born in 1773 and from 1788 was apprenticed to William Darton. From 1795 he was in partnership with Darton on the occasional item.

The maps in this atlas are variously dated between 1817 and 1818 and were first available separately with a slipcase. The earliest noted was that of Kent dated 1 November 1816, but this is only seen as a loose map. In this atlas there is no date on that of Kent, a date is also omitted from Surrey. The balance are all dated from 1 June 1817 (Essex and Hampshire) to 1 November 1818 found on the general map of England and Wales.

‘Langley’s New County Atlas of England and Wales’ was published late in 1818. Each has an attractive vignette adorning the map. The atlas sold for £2 12s 6d bound, according to the pasted label affixed to the upper board. A few counties are re-orientated to fit more neatly on the map. In the case of Cornwall, it is rotated clockwise by 22 degrees whilst still retaining a compass rose pointing incorrectly to the top of the map. As noted by Quixley, this is compounded by the longitude and latitude markers in the margins. The atlas is rare today and was clearly not that successful as in October 1819 Langley and Belch went into bankruptcy (‘London Gazette’). Chubb (1927) 359; Quixley (2018) no. 70; Smith (1982); Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).