
“The Map that Changed the World”
By SMITH, William, 1815
A Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales, with Part of Scotland; exhibiting the Colleries and Mines, the Marshes and Fen Lands originally overflowed by the Sea, and the Varieties of Soil according to the Variations in the Substrata, Illustrated by the most descriptive Names. [together with] A Memoir to the Map and Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales, with part of Scotland. By William Smith, Engineer and Mineral Surveyor.
- Author: SMITH, William
- Publication place: London
- Publisher: John Cary and J. Wyld
- Publication date: 1815.
- Physical description: Folio (560 by 370mm) first edition, signed and numbered by the author to the lower right corner of sheet VI, third issue (the “a” series), key map, large engraved map on 15 sheets, fine original hand colour, original half calf over marbled paper boards, rebacked and recornered, original calf label lettered in gilt to upper board, spine lettered in gilt; [together with] Quarto (260 by 210mm), title, dedication to Joseph Banks, list of subscribers, contents, 50pp., two tables providing information on the strata upon his large map, original blue wrappers, title on pink paper oval label, pasted to upper cover.
- Inventory reference: 2373
Notes
Five states of Smith’s work have been identified: an early unnumbered state (known in only a few copies); a series numbered 1–100, which Smith signed between 2 November and 17 December 1815; a series numbered a1-100 (the present example is of this series), signed between 17 December 1815 and 23 January 1816; a series numbered b1-100, signed after 23 January 1816; and an unnumbered series probably issued in 1823 or later (watermarks are dated 1823).
The present copy has been signed and numbered by the author in ink on the lower right corner of the sheet VI “Wm: Smith — a,77”, and is additionally numbered by him in ink “a77” on the lower left margin of the title sheet.
“The map was supplied either in sheets [usually bound as an atlas — as in the present example], or mounted on canvas and rollers, or fitted in a case for travelling” (Eyles, Bibliography). Eyles suggests that a possible 400 copies of the map were contemplated, but it is most probable that due to the economic situation in 1815, sales were small and no more than 100 copies were produced. This is reflected in library holdings, with OCLC only recording eight copies; RLIN duplicates Yale and Linda Hall and adds another three in Cornell, Brown, Stanford; KVK adds copies in Staatsbibliotheks Berlin and Zurich.
To have both the map and the explanatory text together is exceedingly rare; in fact, the British Library online catalogue suggests that they have only the accompanying Memoir text, and not the map itself.
Scale: 5 miles to one inch.
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