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Reproduction Antique Maps of Elizabethan John Speed (b1552 - †1629)

John Speed was born 1552 at Farndon in Cheshire. He first followed his father's trade as a tailor until the age of fifty. His real profession though from an early age was map making and he focused on this with the help of Sir Fulke Greville. As a source for his maps, Speed used material from Saxton and Norden, but he also considered up-to-date material especially for the inset town plans on his maps. The maps were engraved by Jodocus Hondius in Amsterdam and then shipped back to London for printing. The first edition of his 'Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain' came to sale 1610 -11 and was re-issued until 1770. In 1627 he published 'A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World', the first World Atlas produced by an Englishman. Re-issues have been published until 1676.

The following Maps are full size prints 450mm wide x 360mm high (18" x 14") on good quality paper of the 'English Shires' taken from the 'Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain' series. Thay contain original detail and colours as first published in the early 17th century. The Maps are unframed and unmounted and will be despatched rolled in protective tubes - these look magnificent when mounted and framed.