A rare later issue of Robert Morden’s playing card map of England and Wales first published in 1676. Morden’s pack of 52 playing cards is exceedingly rare. Issued with them were two introductory cards. An Explanation card and this general one of England and Wales identifying each county by an initial letter. This particular card is from ‘A Brief Description of England and Wales’ by Homan Turpin issued c.1785. Shirley states that this later issue ‘is not known to include the general map’.

The whereabouts of the plates since Morden last issued them is unknown, but they eventually came into Turpin’s possession. He was a bookseller working at 104 St. John’s Street, West Smithfield, London, from 1764 to 1787 who interestingly traded in second-hand books and buying libraries. The date of their issue is speculative, as none of the six known Turpin catalogues list the cards. It has been presumed to have been issued late in his career. He largely supplied works to schools, and it would seem logical to suspect the same applied to this little atlas. Arber (1903-06) I. 263; Chubb (1927) 109; ESTC T204060; Hodson (1984-97) 273; Mann & Kingsley (1972) p. 26, 3.3; Shirley (2004) T. Mord 1c.