The Map has been hand coloured resulting in a beautiful appearance.
Originally Produced Circa 1610 for the Publication 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine'
Old English Text to Verso (as shown) of which the content was taken mainly from Camden's Britannia.
Framed and glazed. The Map looks to have been framed in it's existing frame Circa 1950's. All we have done is removed the map to check originality, photograph and clean the frame and glass and re-taping the rear.
John Speed first devoted himself to writing a history and preparing a series of county maps of England and Wales. Between 1605 and 1610 he collected material including manuscript maps, coats of arms, portraits, drawings of antiquaries and rubbings of coins which he passed onto Jodocus Hondius in Amsterdam who engraved most of the maps for the Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain. During this time Speed must have travelled extensively in the British Isles acquiring information for his unique series of town plans that appear on his maps, which are the earliest recorded plans for many of the towns featured, Proofs of his maps were issued between 1608 and 1610 and in 1611-12 all 67 maps were published in atlas form under the title The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain. It was a most successful publication. Many copies sold and further editions were to appear for over one hundred years.
Approx sizes: 22 inches x 17 inches