This is an atlas with an interesting history. ‘The Weekly Dispatch’ newspaper between the years 1856 and 1862 included in each edition a map of a part of the world. During this period a total of 118 maps were issued. The maps bear the distinctive sign of a half globe with the figure of Mercury above. The engravers varied but included John Dower and Edward Weller. In 1863 ‘The Dispatch Atlas’ was published which contained a series of English county maps in a similar design. The two were combined in 1865 as ‘Cassell’s Complete Atlas’. Here we find the county atlas in its second issue with the maps all bearing a catalogue number in the upper corner. The work includes fine large scale town plans of Liverpool (double page), Manchester and Birmingham with margin strengthened. Provenance: private English collection. Beresiner pp. 85-7; refer Carroll no. 120; Chubb 559.