A Topographical Map of the County of Wilts. Describing the Seats of the Nobility and Gentry, Turnpike and Cross Roads, Canals, etc.

Folio (560 x 400 mm.), contemporary half calf, ornate blind ruled, with original red calf gilt title label affixed to upper board, rebacked. With typographic title page, index table, general index map of the county, and 18 double page sheets each approximately 460 x 630 mm., all in early outline colour, light offsetting as usual, otherwise in good condition. This is one of three large scale county surveys published by the partners John Andrews (fl.1766-98) and Andrew Dury (fl.1742-78). The other counties were of Hertfordshire published c.1766 and Kent in 1769. This, the last of their counties, was first published in 1773. All three were undertaken at the very large scale of TWO INCHES TO THE MILE, only a handful were published with this much detail in the eighteenth century. This is an example of the second edition published by William Faden, it is rarer than the first. Indeed, the general index map is known by only the one example in the Royal Geographical Society and one other example found in the Kentish Catalogue of 1997. Faden improved the map considerably with new information. A further feature is the introduction of a title page and a list of the towns, villages and 'Principal Seats of the Nobility and Gentry'. The numeration of the plates was also altered; it now starts in the north west corner of the county. He removed the old list of subscribers and replaced it with a new title. The ornate dedication cartouche to the landowners of the county was designed by Giovanni Battista Cipriani and engraved by James Caldwell (1739-1822). Provenance: private English collection. Kentish 'Large Scale County Maps of England and Wales 1705-1832', no. 63; Rodger (1972) 495; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).…