The first seven maps are all printed in outline with an engraved border, title and grid and drawn and finished by hand. Each bears the publishers imprint ‘London; Published by Jas. Wyld. (Successor to W. Faden,) geographer to the King, and to H. R. H. The Duke of York, 5 Charing Cross Road’, the first only being dated 1823. The maps start with two of each hemisphere followed by one each of the four continents and affine map of the British Isles. The following maps are entirely drawn in manuscript: ancient maps of Europe, England and Wales, Italy, Greece, Asia Minor, Palestine, Persia followed lastly by a fine ornate hemispherical celestial chart.

A curious atlas which appears to have been produced for educational purposes. We certainly know that James Wyld worked hard in the educational market. Wyld (1790-1836) was apprenticed to the great William Faden in 1804 and made free in 1811. At first he worked from Shepherds Market mostly for the Quartermaster General’s Office. Wyld proved innovative and capable of a prodigious workload and soon gained quite a reputation. This enabled him in 1823 to acquire the business of Faden which quickly expanded his own product range. Smith (1991) ‘The Map Collector’ no. 55 pp. 32-8.