Code: 52339
Author: Laurie, Robert and Whittle, James
Date published: 1807
Uncommon. Copper engraving with original hand colouring. Overall size in hinged off white fully conservation mount and back (so floating freely apart from two pieces of archival tape) with decorative v groove: 33.5cms x 39.8cms; image size: 179mm x 232mm including imprint. Very good condition apart from a little offsetting in top right and bottom right blank area - see magnified image. These county maps were originally produced by Benjamin Baker for The Universal Magazine and are uncommon in both instances. Robert Laurie was born in 1755 and was apprenticed to the map maker Robert Sayer. In 1776 he was given an award of thirty guineas for disclosing a new method of printing mezzotints in colour. In 1794 he took over Sayer's business, acquiring the entire stock etc., at a preferential price of £5000 in partnership with James Whittle. The firm survives to the present day as part of Imray, Laurie, Norie & Wilson. See British Map Engravers Worms and Baynton-Williams p.391
