Switzerland by Aaron Arrowsmith

Code: 52640

Author: Arrowsmith, Aaron

Publisher: A. Constable

Date published: 1817

Copper engraving, later hand colouring. Engraved by Sidney Hall. Overall size in off white, hinged fully conservation grade mount ad back with decorative v groove: 41.5cms x 36.7cms. Image size 259mm x 208mm (including imprint). Very good condition. From Durham, Arrowsmith arrived in London around 1770 and found work as a surveyor with the well known cartographer John Cary. He carried out some of the road surveys for 'Cary's Travellers Companion' which was published in 1790 and in the same year established his own business in Long Acre. He specialised in in producing large-scale individual maps containing the latest information from all parts of the world. He constantly revised and updated his work and he soon gained an international reputation. After his death the business was carried on by his sons Aaron and Samuel until around 1839 when his nephew John took over, maintaining the firm's reputation not least by becoming a founder member of the Royal Geographical Society. Altogether, the Arrowsmiths published over seven hundred maps and in doing so became one of the dominant London map houses until about 1860