Rare edition of Speed's map of Huntingdonshire

SPEED, John.

Huntingdon both Shire and Shire Towne with the Ancient Citie Ely Described.
London: Roger Rea, 1665. Coloured. 380 x 510mm.

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 elaborate strapwork title cartouche featuring figures of huntsmen (with one holding a falcon); inset plans of Huntingdon & Ely; engraved text on two open books, the Royal Arms and armorials of nine 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.


Stock ID : 23819