John Speed map of Northamptonshire, 1616, Latin edition

Published by John Sudbury and George Humble, 1616, and from John Speed’s atlas ‘The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine’, the Latin edition is arguably the rarest of all editions, being produced for the overseas market. It is a very attractive map which includes insets of the town plans of Northampton and Peterborough. It features copper engraving with later hand colouring. The maps were engraved in Amsterdam by Jodocus Hondius, one of the foremost engravers of his time. Speed’s maps are unique historical documents of their period and the town plans featured on the maps are in most cases the first information we have of their early appearance. Their artistry has guaranteed the collectability of these maps in the centuries that have followed.