Details
SPEED, John (1552-1629). Theatrum Imperii Magnae Britanniae. Amsterdam: Judocus Hondius, 1616.
4 parts in one volume, 2° (420 x 280mm). Engraved title and arms of James I, woodcut royal arms, numerous woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces, 67 double-page engraved maps of the counties of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, section titles with the London imprint of Sudbury and Humble. (Light browning throughout, leaves Ttt2 to the end lightly wormed affecting the final 8 maps, upper corner of title repaired.) Contemporary vellum, slightly stained, green ties.
AN UNRECORDED HONDIUS AMSTERDAM IMPRINT of the rare Latin edition of Speed's Theatre. Skelton notes that although this Latin edition was printed by Thomas Snodham presumably for sale abroad, he knew of only two copies with continental imprints; the Gardner copy with a Hondius imprint Amsterdam 1621, and another copy in the Bodleian, where a Latin edition of Speed has a Blaeu volume IV title page added, with the overslips of the Latin title and imprint of Blaeu, 1646. In this copy as with the Gardner copy the place of publication and publisher have been supplied on pasted overslips. It is interesting to note the alliance of Jodocus II Hondius with Speed. Jodocus I Hondius, his father was responsible for the engraving of the Speed maps, and therefore Speed had approached his son as an agent for the Latin edition to provide him with an outlet to the continental market. However this partnership appears not to have been an outstanding commercial success; although Hondius was still offering the work in 1621, it is surprising that so few copies appeared to have survived given that Amsterdam was establishing itself as one of the cartographic centres of Europe. Skelton 11; Chubb XXIVa.
4 parts in one volume, 2° (420 x 280mm). Engraved title and arms of James I, woodcut royal arms, numerous woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces, 67 double-page engraved maps of the counties of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland, section titles with the London imprint of Sudbury and Humble. (Light browning throughout, leaves Ttt2 to the end lightly wormed affecting the final 8 maps, upper corner of title repaired.) Contemporary vellum, slightly stained, green ties.
AN UNRECORDED HONDIUS AMSTERDAM IMPRINT of the rare Latin edition of Speed's Theatre. Skelton notes that although this Latin edition was printed by Thomas Snodham presumably for sale abroad, he knew of only two copies with continental imprints; the Gardner copy with a Hondius imprint Amsterdam 1621, and another copy in the Bodleian, where a Latin edition of Speed has a Blaeu volume IV title page added, with the overslips of the Latin title and imprint of Blaeu, 1646. In this copy as with the Gardner copy the place of publication and publisher have been supplied on pasted overslips. It is interesting to note the alliance of Jodocus II Hondius with Speed. Jodocus I Hondius, his father was responsible for the engraving of the Speed maps, and therefore Speed had approached his son as an agent for the Latin edition to provide him with an outlet to the continental market. However this partnership appears not to have been an outstanding commercial success; although Hondius was still offering the work in 1621, it is surprising that so few copies appeared to have survived given that Amsterdam was establishing itself as one of the cartographic centres of Europe. Skelton 11; Chubb XXIVa.