A RARE EDITION. Emanuel Bowen (1693?-1767) was one of the most prominent figures in English cartography during the middle of the eighteenth century. Since the highly influential ‘Britannia’ by John Ogilby had been first published in 1675 no smaller version had been issued. Then in the period 1718-20 a flush of four projects were conceived, three of which were completed. This was unquestionably the most successful. It is the only one of the three to include a set of county maps with the road strips. The author of the text was John Owen an antiquarian who had been admitted to the Middle Temple in 1718. Although known as the Owen and Bowen atlas it was in fact published jointly by Bowen and Thomas Bowles (1688-1767). It had a long life running to numerous editions; this is an example of the 1753 issue. No direct adverts for this edition have been identified, however, it is noted at the end of an advert placed by Thomas and John Bowles for Herman Moll’s County atlas where the price of 10s is noted. It is also found listed in a 1753 catalogue by John Bowles and Son. The work was later advertised in the ‘Public Advertiser’ for 23 May 1755, 14 July 1756 and 11 July 1757. More than two pages of contemporary manuscript at the end of the book list ‘Places Described in this Book, Omitted in the Index at the beginning’. Provenance: Sotheby’s 18 November 1993 lot 964; Burden Collection duplicate; private English collection. Bennett (1996) pp. 40-1; Chubb (1927) 154a; ESTC N15584; Fordham (1924) pp. 18-19; Harley, J B (1970) Introduction to “Britannia Depicta”; Hodson (1984) 162; Shirley BL T.Bow 1l; Webb, David (1984).