A composite atlas, including maps by the best British mapmakers of the late eighteenth century, the majority by William Faden, three published by Henry Carington Bowles and Samuel Carver, and three by Robert Laurie and James Whittle (one in conjunction with Bowles & Carver). Most of the Faden maps have clearly been coloured by the same hand.

The atlas covers mainly western Europe and the Mediterranean. Interestingly, a map of Brunswick-Luneberg has been included. Before George I came to the British throne, the Hanoverian dynasty were electors of Brunswick-Luneberg, and continued to hold the title alongside the British crown. His new subjects were interested in his other territories, and the division of the monarch’s time between the two was a topic of continual debate.

The non-European maps focus on British interests abroad. For example, there are three maps of India, but none of any other Asian country. The rule of the East India Company in Bengal began in 1757 and by the late eighteenth century had been extended to large chunks of eastern and southern India. There are three charts of America, including one showing the British territories and two of the Caribbean, highly disputed territory as France, Spain and Great Britain fought and redistributed the colonies of the New World.

William Faden (1750-1836) began his career in cartography after taking over the business of Thomas Jefferys, a highly respected British mapmaker. Initially publishing under the name Faden and Jefferys, he followed his predecessor by specialising in maps of North America, resulting in the publication of a collection of them in the ‘North American Atlas’ in 1777. Twice honoured by the Royal Society for his work, he became Geographer to the King in 1783, and was chosen in 1801 to create and print the first of the Ordnance survey maps.

The maps are:

1. Faden. Double-hemisphere map of the world, Eastern and Western hemispheres, printed from two plates dated 28th October, 1790 and 1st December 1790
2. Faden. Double-hemisphere map of the world, Northern and Southern hemispheres, printed from two plates dated 1st December 1790 and January 1st, 1790
3. [Faden]. Folding map of the world on Mercator’s projection ‘A General Chart, exhibiting the Discoveries made by Capt.n James Cook,…’, undated, 2 sheets joined
4. Faden. Europe. July 1st, 1791
5. Bowles & Carver. Bowles’s New One-Sheet Map of England & Wales, with the Addition of New Roads, and other Improvements; by Daniel Paterson. London: Bowles & Carver, 6th January 1797
6. Faden. North Britain or Scotland Divided into its Counties. Corrected from the best Surveys & Astronomical Observations by Tho.s Kitchin. December 1st, 1778
7. Taylor & Faden. A New Map of Ireland,… Alexander Taylor. Folding map. January 1st, 1793.
8. Faden. A Chart of the British Channel and the Bay of Biscay, with a Part of the North Sea, and the Entrance of St. George’s Channel,… L’Abbe Diquemare… L.S. de la Rochette. September 17th, 1794. 3rd edition. Folding, 2 sheets joined.
9. [Faden]. De La Rochette. A Chart of the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Alderney; with the Adjacent Coast of France. 1781.
10. Faden. The North Sea with the Kattegat… L.S. de la Rochette. June 1796. Folding.
11. Faden. A Map of the Seven Provinces, with the Land of Drent and the Generality Lands. July 1st, 1794
12. Faden. A Map of the Austrian Possessions in the Netherlands or Low Countries,… January 1st, 1789
13. Faden. A Map of the Northern Part of France, with the Adjacent Netherlands,… December 21st, 1795
14. Faden. France, Divided into Provinces. July 26th, 1790.
15. Faden. France, Divided into Metropolitan Circles, Departments & Districts; as decreed by the National Assembly, Jan. 15th, 1790. October 1st, 1792
16. Faden. Geometrical Survey of the Environs of Toulon. May 1st, 1794
17. Faden. Spain and Portugal; divided into their respective Kingdoms and Provinces. June 4th, 1796
18. Faden. Chorographical Map of the Kingdom of Portugal divided into its Grand Provinces. August 12th, 1797
19. Faden. A Chart of the Coasts of Spain and Portugal, with the Balearic Islands, and Part of the Coast of Barbary,… L.S. De la Rochette. June 28th, 1780
20. – 21. Faden. A Map of the Mediterranean Sea with the Adjacent Regions and Seas in Europe, Asia and Africa. March 1st, 1785. Folding, 4 sheets joined to make 2 maps
21. …
22. Faden. Plan of the Bay, Rock and Town of Gibraltar, from an Actual Survey…January 26th, 1783. Uncoloured
23. Rob.t Wilkinson, Laurie & Whittle, Bowles & Carver. Italy; With the Islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica,… D’Anville,… 2 sheets joined, folding
24. Faden. Carte Generale des Etats du Roi de Sardaigne,…February 24th, 1783
25. Faden. Carte de L’Isle de Corse,… Carte de L’Isle de Sardaigne. N.d.
26. Faden. Nouvelle Carte de la Suisse. 1792. Folding
27. Faden. A New Map of the German Empire, and the Neighbouring States. June 24th, 1788. Folding
28. Ditto
29. Faden. A New Map of the King of Great Britain’s Dominions in Germany, or the Electorate of Brunswick-Luneberg and its dependencies,… Thomas Jefferys. June 1st, 1789
30. [Faden]. A Map of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Dutchy of Lithuania. February 1st, 1792
31. Faden. A Map of the Kingdom of Denmark, with the Duchy of Holstein. August 2nd, 1790
32. Faden. Scandia or Scandinavia Comprehending Sweden, and Norway, with the Danish Islands,… L.S. Delarochette. February 10th, 1794
33. Laurie & Whittle. The European Part / the Asiatic Part of the Russian Empire, From the Maps Published by the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg with the New Provinces on the Black Sea/ the New Discoveries of Cap.tn Cook. 12th May, 1794. 2 sheets joined, folding
34. Faden. European Dominions of the Ottomans, or Turkey in Europe. August 12th, 1795
35. Faden. Greece, … L.S. De La Rochette. January 1st, 1791
36. Bowles & Carver. Bowles’s New One-Sheet Map of Asia. N.D.
37. Faden. Hind, Hindoostan, or India,… L.S. De La Rochette. January 1st, 1797
38. Faden. A map of Bengal,… James Rennell. January 1st, 1786. 2 sheets joined, folding
39. – 40. Faden. A Map of the Peninsula of India. January 1st, 1795. 4 sheets joined to make 2 maps, folding. Second edition.
40. …
41. Bowles’s New One-Sheet Map of Africa. Bowles & Carver, N.D.
42. Faden. The Dutch Colony oof the Cape of Good Hope… L.S. de la Rochette. December 1st, 1795. Full-page. Second edition.
43. Laurie & Whittle. Egypt called the Country Missir… D’Anville. 12th May, 1794. Colour in outline
44. Faden. A New Map of America or The New World, wherein are introduced all the known parts of the Western Hemisphere… D’Anville. April 12th, 1797
45. Faden. Chart of the N.W. Coast of America and the N.E. Coast of Asia, … Lieut.t. Roberts,… Capt.n Cook. January 1st, 1794. Second edition.
46. Faden. The United States of North America: with those of Spain, according to the Treaty, of 1784. February 11th, 1796
47. Faden. A General Chart of the West India Islands with the Adjacent Coasts of the Spanish Continent,… L.S. de la Rochette. September 22nd, 1796
48. Faden. A Chart of the Antilles, or; Charibbee, or; Caribs Islands, with the Virgin Isles,… L.S. De La Rochette. March 1st, 1784. Folding
49. Faden. The Coast of Guyana… L.S. De La Rochette. October 6th, 1783