78 James Wallis 1812

James Wallis produced two county atlases at the same time (see preceding entry). Wallis’s New British Atlas (folio 23 plates, some containing 2/3 maps per plate) appeared in 1813: although the title page is dated 1812 the maps are dated either 1812 or 1813. When it was reissued, possibly the same year, it had the title A New and Improved County Atlas, which was the second title of the original work.

The map of Devon is interesting as it has longitude reading from the left as though the zero meridian was at Land’s End and full degrees (3 to 5) reading left to right: this mistake was compounded by Hebert who added a note Longit. West from Greenh. for the second edition without changing the degrees. The BL atlas with Devonshire in state 2 is a composite atlas with maps of mixed date and imprint. Besides the west country maps of Cornwall, Devon and Somerset only the maps of Cheshire, Hunts., Northants., Sussex, Westmoreland and South Wales have Hebert’s imprint. (North Wales is dated 1816.)

The maps were reissued by Ellis in 1819 without imprints. G Ellis was a publisher with premises in Smith’s Square, Westminster.

A few loose sheets with the imprint Published by Jas Wyld, Charing Cross East have been found. These would have been prepared for a Wyld atlas (Wyld’s Atlas of the English Counties of 1842 - Chubb DV) which was probably planned but never published.

Size 180 x 265 mm.                                                                                                                                                  Scale of Miles (14 = 31 mm).

DEVONSHIRE with signature Engraved by J. Wallis. Imprint: London Published by S. A. Oddy, 1812. (CeOS).