Original antique map published in 1768.
Taken from "Ellis's English Atlas: or A Compleat Chorography of England and Wales in Fifty Maps."
Engraved by J. Ellis and published by Robert Sayer.
Joseph Ellis was an engraver and publisher from Clerkenwell in London and was apprenticed to Richard William Seale in 1749. He is best known for "The New English Atlas" published in 1765 which was later reissued as Ellis's English Atlas in 1766, 1768, 1777, 1786, 1790 and 1796.
The maps are similar in style to a series by Thomas Kitchin but easily distinguishable as the name of Ellis appears on many but not all of the maps. The name of William Palmer appears on Buckinghamshire, Herefordshire, Kent and Warwickshire. Cornwall bears the name of De La Rochette. Worcestershire bears the name of William Fowler.
Robert Sayer (ca. 1724-1794) was one of the most successful print and map makers of the 17th century. Robert took over the business following the death of his brother Philip, who had in tern gained the business via marriage to the widow Mary Overton. Robert's business acumen was strong and he set about building the company, first by acquiring the plate stock of John Sennex, Henry Overton and John Rocque. To help with costs, in some more expensive publications he worked in partnership with Thomas and John Bowles, and William Herbert.
Roberts most successful business deal was with the struggling business of Thomas Jeffery's, which put him in procession of a large number of copper plates relating to the north American continent. The outbreak of the American revolution created a demand for maps of North America which Robert Sayer responded to with four new publications devoted entirely to the American colonies.
Following the independence of the United States the company began publishing charts. This coincided with the revolutionary war in France and the rise of Napoleon Buonaparte. The navigational charts quickly became in demand as H M Navy sought to control the seas.
Robert died in 1794 selling the business in house to two of his employers, Robert Laurie and James Whittle.
