An edition dated to circa 1746 in fabulous early wash colour. Thomas Badeslade (fl.1719-1745) was a surveyor and engineer who was involved in many schemes to improve the waterways. He was also an established author and in 1742 he had William Henry Toms (fl.1723-61) engrave a series of maps from his draughts and publish them as the ‘Chorographia Britanniae’. It is the first pocket size English county atlas published in the eighteenth century. It is surprising that it took so long considering the runaway success of the ‘Britannia Depicta’ of 1720. The first edition of the atlas is found in four variants and was on sale for only a short period of time. Within two or three months a new edition was published.

First published in 1742 this is a later edition bearing the revised imprint of John Clark on the title page. He had joined Charles Hitch and William Henry Toms (fl.1723-61) in the ownership of the atlas by November 1745, when a newly worded advert was placed in the ‘Evening Post’. Clark died in April 1746 and was succeeded by his wife Anne. Provenance: G. F. Smith on inside front cover; Clive A. Burden Ltd. Catalogue I (2007) item 39; private English collection; Clive A. Burden Ltd. Catalogue IX (2012) item 37; private English collection. Chubb (1927) 173; Hodson (1984-97) no. 192; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).