A scarce 17th century plan and prospect of Chester

A prospect of Chester from across the Dee river; a townplan with a 31-point key, decorated with armorials of local nobles, Roman coins and an altar; andan inset sketch map of Cheshire. Overton published this map in Daniel King's 'The Vale Royall of England or The County Palatine of Chester'. Hollar, a Bohemian, is renowned for the quality of his etching. Born in 1607 he was brought to England in 1637 by the Earl of Arundel, a well-known connoisseur, and started engraving commercially, beginning what has been described as his 'slavery to the publishers'. During the English Civil War his Royalist sympathies forced him to flee to Antwerp, where he completed his most famous work, the 'Long View' of London. After his return in 1652 he worked for many of the most famous names in London publishing, including Ogilby, Overton, Blome and Morden, and became Iconographer to the King in 1660. This did not stop him dying almost penniless in 1677. His last words were addressed to the bailiffs asking them not to remove the bed on which he lay dying.