Just TWO KNOWN EXAMPLES. By the 1630s the publication houses of Willem Blaeu and Henricus Hondius were in a race to produce ever more new maps of the world. Hondius in partnership with Jan Jansson began collecting plates of Britain and in 1636 published an ‘Appendix’ of the Atlas including 17 maps, two of which were general ones. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for the English edition published in 1636 and are only found in the German edition of 1638. This marks the beginning of the race between the two houses to produce a separate volume devoted to England and Wales which Blaeu would win in 1645. In 1644 a further 11 maps were issued in a Dutch ‘Appendix’. Examples of maps from these early issues are very rare and highly desirable. The plates are often extensively altered for their ultimate issue in the completed work, the ‘Atlas Novus’ of 1646.

An example of the very rare FIRST STATE of Jan Jansson’s county map of Herefordshire. This map is so rare that not one example is found bound into an atlas. Both known surviving examples are loose. When compared to the rival Blaeu county maps those of Jansson always appear more decorative. This map of Herefordshire lacks text on the verso and differs from the final state. In the usually found atlas issue the title cartouche lower right is replaced by coats of arms. Jansson’s imprint was also added. Provenance: Weinreb & Douwma catalogue 17 item 595; private English collection. Koeman (1967-70) II ME 152 no. 635 (usual second state); Van der Krogt (1997-2003) 5510:1.2; Map Collectors Circle no. 34 ‘Notes and Addenda’ pp. 16-18; Skelton (1970) no. 34, pp. 225-6; Smith (2004) Herefordshire maps pp. 70-1.