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REID, William Henry : The Panorama: or, Traveller's Instructive Guide; Through England and Wales; Exhibiting all the Direct and Principal Cross Roads, Cities, Towns, Villages, Parks, Canals, &c. ..

Printed by J. Wallis, Berwick Street, Soho; and Published by W. H. Reid, Charing Cross, London, 1820

Octavo (120 x 80 mm.), recent full calf, ornate blind panelling to boards, spine with raised bands, blind ruled compartments, blue calf gilt title label. With engraved Contents, typographic title page with Index on verso (small paper fault), Address with Errata on the verso, two engraved divisional titles of England and Wales, pp. (4), 160, and 53 maps (1 general and 52 county maps) all in full original wash colour, omitting engraved title page and final leaf of postal charges, upper corners shaved, otherwise in good condition.

A VERY RARE CHARMING ATLAS. Little is known about William Henry Reid. A W. H. Reid is listed in 'Johnstone's London Commercial Guide' for 1818 as an 'Appraiser & auct. 32, Charing-cross'. Further research found a William Henry Reid listed in the Post Office London Commercial Directory for 1843 as 'architectural, engineering & scientific bookseller & publisher, 15 Charing Cross'. It is a reasonable assumption to conclude this is one and the same person. His name appears on the title page as publisher but many of the maps bear the imprints or James Wallis and C. Hinton. As Reid’s name does not appear on the maps they are often referred to as the Wallis-Reid maps. James Wallis (fl.1810-25) was born it is believed in Southampton in 1784. He was apprenticed to John Roper in 1799 and freed on 5 February 1811. It appears he started out as an engraver, becoming a bookseller, printer, stationer and publisher. He was at one point imprisoned for debt in 1835. Wallis had earlier produced the 'New British Atlas' in 1813 and 'Wallis’s New Pocket Edition' c.1812. His last atlas production was the plates for this work, 'The Panorama' of 1820. Several maps cite Wallis and Hinton as publisher which might indicate that towards the end of the project, they sold the rights to Reid whose imprint appears as sole publisher on the title page. Wallis retained the printing rights. We know Wallis became bankrupt later but maybe his financial difficulties began much earlier. Each map is accompanied by extensive descriptive text. A rare work, Chubb recorded 'the only copy I have seen is in the possession of Dr. F. B. Penfold'. Provenance: private English collection. Beresiner (1983) p. 234; Chubb (1927) 372; Tooley's Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

REID, William Henry : The Panorama: or, Traveller's Instructive Guide; Through England and Wales; Exhibiting all the Direct and Principal Cross Roads, Cities, Towns, Villages, Parks, Canals, &c. ..

W. H. Reid, Charing Cross, London, 1820

Octavo (120 x 80 mm.), recent quarter calf, marbled paper boards, spine with gilt ruling top and bottom and gilt title. With engraved frontispiece title, engraved Contents, typographic title page with Index on verso, Address with Errata on the verso, two engraved divisional titles of England and Wales, pp. (4), 162, and 53 maps (1 general and 52 county maps) all in full original wash colour, tear to p. 113, water stain to Welsh half title, otherwise in good condition.

An early issue of this rare atlas. The instigators of this project appear to be James Wallis and Charles Hinton. The latter took over the address of 1 Ivy Lane in 1820, the premises of Thomas Crabb following his death in August 1819. Crabb's own set of county maps on card likely encouraged Hinton to follow suit. Here the style is very similar and many of the same errors of spelling are found in both. Little is known of Hinton beyond this one work, he is not even listed in the British Book Trade Index. To assist in the work, he brought in James Wallis (fl.1810-25). It appears he started out as an engraver, becoming a bookseller, printer, stationer and publisher. His earliest work appears to be 'Oddy’s New General Atlas of the World', published by Samuel Augustus Oddy (1779-1847) in 1811, with Wallis as the engraver. Wallis then produced the 'New British Atlas' in 1813 and 'Wallis’s New Pocket Edition' c.1812. This is his final atlas work. Twenty of the maps here include the imprints of Wallis and Hinton, in fact in equal numbers. As with earlier works, this identifies a 50-50 partnership. For some reason production struggled and a new partner was sought. As Wallis’ name is on the title page of the finished work as printer, it is unclear if he kept his share but Hinton certainly sold his. The remaining 32 maps were engraved without any imprint.The new partner was William Henry Reid and the finished maps are often referred to as those of ‘Wallis-Reid’. A W. H. Reid is listed in 'Johnstone's London Commercial Guide' for 1818 as an ‘Appraiser & auct. 32, Charing-cross’. Further research found a William Henry Reid listed in the 'Post Office London Commercial Directory' for 1843 as ‘architectural, engineering & scientific bookseller & publisher, 15 Charing Cross’. It is a reasonable assumption to conclude this is one and the same person. Each map has the mail coach roads coloured in red and is accompanied by extensive descriptive text. A rare work, Chubb recorded ‘the only copy I have seen is in the possession of Dr. F. B. Penfold’. The work is undated but the latest found in the text is on p. 62 which refers to a resolution passed in the House of Commons on 12 July 1820. The Crabb plates had been acquired by Robert Miller and were issued as 'Miller’s new Miniature Atlas', without text. This gave the 'Panorama' the edge but in 1822 William Darton re-issued it with text also. Provenance: private English collection. Beresiner (1983) p. 234; Chubb (1927) 372; Tooley's Dictionary (1999-2004); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).

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