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Atlases from a Private Swiss Collection
SENEX, John (bap. 1678-1740) [and Charles PRICE (fl.1697-c.1733)]
[Modern Geography: or all the known countries in the world (as per letterpress index). London: Mary Senex, c.1748].
Details
SENEX, John (bap. 1678-1740) [and Charles PRICE (fl.1697-c.1733)]
[Modern Geography: or all the known countries in the world (as per letterpress index). London: Mary Senex, c.1748].
Rare atlas with the world map in first state showing California as an island. Price and Senex entered a publishing partnership in 1707, Price being the cartographer and Senex the engraver. They completed a series of maps printed on two joined sheets, intending not only to issue them separately, but also to form an atlas of 20 maps. However, the partners soon ran out of money, and dissolved their partnership, with Price retaining a suite of maps and joining George Willdey in another atlas venture. Senex too retained a share of the plates, and working with John Maxwell, started to engrave new ones to challenge Price and Willdey. Thus in 1711, the two rivals published separate atlases within a few months of each other. Senex was successful, and kept reissuing his atlas with different numbers of maps. At some point Maxwell left the partnership with Senex, the latter erasing Maxwell's name from the plates, although traces of Maxwell's name can be found on maps in the present copy. After his death in 1740, Senex's widow, Mary, kept the publishing business going.
An attractive feature of Senex’s maps are their informative annotations. For instance, on the western edge of the map of North America there is a description of Salt Lake City: ‘A lake of salt water 30 Leagues wide and 300 about according to the report of the Savages who also say that the mouth of it is a great distance from the South Coast and is buy 2 leagues broad. That there is above 100 Tonns about it, and that they sail on it with large Boats.’ Shirley BL T.SEN-1f.
Tall, narrow folio (686 x 287mm). 34 folding engraved maps, of which 22 on 2 sheets joined and 12 full-page, letterpress index pasted on front pastedown, maps dated between 1708 and 1725, all but the first map – Whiston's Solar system – in contemporary hand colour (all maps with creasefolds repaired or strengthened, ‘New map of Great Britain’ with 150mm tear in centre just touching Orkney Islands, but without loss, very minor marginal worming from map XXV to end, some creasing, a few nicks, some maps trimmed close, some light browning and dust-soiling). Contemporary sheep panelled in blind with ornamental rolls and cornerpiece tools, lettered in gilt on spine (covers very rubbed and scraped, spine creased vertically and defective, corners worn). Provenance: Edward Stracey (ink ownership inscription on verso of Whiston’s Solar System dated December 1758; with explanatory ink note below stating this was written on board the East Indianman Tilbury en route to India).
[Modern Geography: or all the known countries in the world (as per letterpress index). London: Mary Senex, c.1748].
Rare atlas with the world map in first state showing California as an island. Price and Senex entered a publishing partnership in 1707, Price being the cartographer and Senex the engraver. They completed a series of maps printed on two joined sheets, intending not only to issue them separately, but also to form an atlas of 20 maps. However, the partners soon ran out of money, and dissolved their partnership, with Price retaining a suite of maps and joining George Willdey in another atlas venture. Senex too retained a share of the plates, and working with John Maxwell, started to engrave new ones to challenge Price and Willdey. Thus in 1711, the two rivals published separate atlases within a few months of each other. Senex was successful, and kept reissuing his atlas with different numbers of maps. At some point Maxwell left the partnership with Senex, the latter erasing Maxwell's name from the plates, although traces of Maxwell's name can be found on maps in the present copy. After his death in 1740, Senex's widow, Mary, kept the publishing business going.
An attractive feature of Senex’s maps are their informative annotations. For instance, on the western edge of the map of North America there is a description of Salt Lake City: ‘A lake of salt water 30 Leagues wide and 300 about according to the report of the Savages who also say that the mouth of it is a great distance from the South Coast and is buy 2 leagues broad. That there is above 100 Tonns about it, and that they sail on it with large Boats.’ Shirley BL T.SEN-1f.
Tall, narrow folio (686 x 287mm). 34 folding engraved maps, of which 22 on 2 sheets joined and 12 full-page, letterpress index pasted on front pastedown, maps dated between 1708 and 1725, all but the first map – Whiston's Solar system – in contemporary hand colour (all maps with creasefolds repaired or strengthened, ‘New map of Great Britain’ with 150mm tear in centre just touching Orkney Islands, but without loss, very minor marginal worming from map XXV to end, some creasing, a few nicks, some maps trimmed close, some light browning and dust-soiling). Contemporary sheep panelled in blind with ornamental rolls and cornerpiece tools, lettered in gilt on spine (covers very rubbed and scraped, spine creased vertically and defective, corners worn). Provenance: Edward Stracey (ink ownership inscription on verso of Whiston’s Solar System dated December 1758; with explanatory ink note below stating this was written on board the East Indianman Tilbury en route to India).
Brought to you by
Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts