A scarce issue of Speed’s map of Derbyshire

One of the most famous maps of the county, engraved by Jodocus Hondius in 1610 for John Speed's county atlas, 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain', 1611-1612. The decorations include an inset plan of Derby and a view of Buxton Wells, a compass rose, the Royal Arms and and armorials of six local nobles. On the reverse is a letterpress description of the county and a gazetteer. This example comes from the Roger Rea issue, which was beset with disaster: according to an advert for the 1676 Bassett & Chiswell edition, ''the greatest part of an Impression, then newly Printed, [was] destroyed by the late dreadful Fire, 1666". Surviving examples of any Rea map are thus rare.