870. Saxton (Christopher) and Philip Lea. [England and the Principality of Wales], large map in 3 separately bordered and titled sections, the upper part with list of counties, scales, large compass rose, standards and navigational instruments, the middle with large dedication cartouche to Peter, Lord Bishop of Winchester, the lower with scales and cartouche containing a key, and with a miniature Delisle map of France hinged on at lower left sheet edge, all with ships and sea monsters, engraved map sheets with outline hand-colouring, the upper section 560 x 885mm., the middle section in 3 sheets, joined, 560 x 1325mm., the lower section also in 3 sheets, joined, 285 x 1750mm., each section dissected on a modern linen-backing, with the lower section inscribed on verso, Repaired by G.G. Miles, British Museum, 1973, folding into an 18th century leather wallet, Thomas and John Bowles, c.1760.
est. £2000 – £3000
Apparently scarce, presumably derived from Saxton’s Britannia: Insularem in Oceano Maxima, of 1583. This was re-issued, with the addition of roads, by Philip Lea in 1687, and the lower two sections here both carry his imprint after their long descriptive titles at the upper sheet edge. Although on the scale of a wall map, the odd sheet sizes reflect the paring down of areas carrying no geographical detail, thus reducing the total to be folded down for a travelling or portmanteau edition.