Emanuel Bowen (1693?-1767) was one of the most prominent figures in English cartography during the middle of the eighteenth century. Since the highly influential Britannia by John Ogilby had been first published in 1675 no smaller version had been issued. Then in the period 1718-20 a flush of four projects were conceived, three of which were completed. In 1720, he co-published with John Owen the ‘Britannia Depicta or Ogilby Improv’d’. It is the only one of the three to include a set of county maps with the road strips. It was an instant success running to numerous editions over the next 50 years. Hodson, in his detailed study of the atlas concluded that there were six different editions bearing a title page dated 1720. The first can however, be broken into three further variants, only two of which Hodson identified. This is an example of his third edition with the reference to the ‘King of Spain’ dropped from the title imprint.

This example bears the ownership inscription of John Percival, the first Earl of Egmont (1683-1748). He was a politician and the first President of the trustees of the new colony of Georgia in the American colonies. One of the front free endpapers records the Post Stages from Bath to London in 1766. Stops are recorded at Chippenham, Marlborough, Spenhil, Reading, Maidenhead, Hounslow, concluding at the White Horse Piccadilly, the site is now right opposite the Burlington Arcade entrance. For each stage the distance in miles is recorded along with the price. The total being 107 miles at a cost of £4 5s. Provenance: manuscript notation of ‘Jno Percivall July 10 1725’ on front free endpaper; Sotheby’s 13 July 1970 lot 328; private English collection. Bennett (1996) pp. 40-1; Harley (1970); Hodson (1984-97) 151; Kingsley (1982) 23.2; ODNB; Shirley (2004) T.Bow 1b issue not cited.