17 Richard Blome 1681

Richard Blome’s first published series of county maps (14) was followed in 1681 by an issue of smaller maps, Speed’s Maps Epitomiz’d, engraved by Wenceslas Hollar and Richard Palmer, who signed six of the maps including the map of Devon. Most of these maps were engraved at about the same time as the maps for Britannia were being prepared and many have imprints with earlier dates (eleven maps are dated either 1667 or 1671). Devon may have been available earlier. Ashley Baynton-Williams believes the plates were completed but sold to a different publisher before Britannia appeared, but came back into Blome´s hands after the mysterious publisher had erased all references to Blome in the titles.¹ Perhaps Blome was not happy with the sales of Britannia but felt that a smaller volume would sell better; it was certainly published until 1731.

As in Britannia each map was dedicated to a county dignitary, this often being amended or erased in later editions. Blome´s financial strategy meant subscriber´s paying an advance on copies ordered. A subscriber would be approached and in return for a prepayment would be able to have their arms put on the map of their choice; for an additional fee their names would also appear in the text. The dedication might be changed in a later edition.

William Oldys´ unfinished translation of Britannia of 1735, printed and published by R Penny² , appeared in four volumes. Only the first and fourth volumes have a title page: Volume I is undated but Volume IV is dated 1735. Cornwall and Devon, the first two counties in the work, are the only ones to have the map.

Size 187 x 235 mm.                                                                                                                                                     Acale of 10 Miles (32 mm).

A MAPP of DEVON SHIRE With its Hundreds. Signature: R:P. Sculp. Signs of erasure in top left corner and cropped names, eg (Bag p)eynt and (Cre)die Baye (Aa).