FIRST STATE, FIRST ISSUE of Jansson’s map of Derbyshire. EXTREMELY RARE. By the 1630s the publication houses of Willem Blaeu and Henricus Hondius were in a race to produce ever more new maps of the world. Hondius in partnership with Jan Jansson began collecting plates of Britain and in 1636 published an Appendix of the Atlas including 17 maps, two of which were general ones. Unfortunately they were not ready in time for the English edition published in 1636 and are only found in the German edition. This marks the beginning of the race between the two houses to produce a separate volume devoted to England and Wales which Blaeu would win in 1645. In 1644 a further 11 maps were issued in a Dutch ‘Appendix’ by Jansson. Examples of maps from these early issues are very rare and highly desirable. The plates are often altered extensively for their ultimate issue in the completed work of 1646.

For the completed version of the map both cartouches in the lower corners were re-engraved. Upper right coats of arms were inserted. Koeman (1967-70) II ME 75A no. 556; Krogt (1997-2003) 5340:1.1; Map Collectors Circle ‘Notes and Addenda’ pp. 16-18; Skelton (1970) pp. 224-6.