The plates for this VERY RARE atlas are by Joshua Archer (1792?-1863) and were first published in William Pinnock’s ‘Guide to Knowledge’, 1833. Archer was declared bankrupt shortly after in 1835 and was in prison for debt again in 1845. What is unusual about the plates for this period is that they were produced using woodblocks and printed directly, resulting in a map which is white on black. The process of lithographic transfer was used for Thomas Johnson’s atlas offered here. This preserves the original block or plate from excessive wear and allows an extended life. A Thomas Johnson is recorded as being a bookseller, stationer, bookbinder, printer and publisher in Liverpool between 1833-43. This is possibly the same Johnson as our publisher after a move to Manchester. For this atlas, the existence of some of the early railways is recorded. One further edition appeared in 1863 surviving in just two known examples. Provenance: private English collection. Carroll (1996) no. 98; Chubb (1927) no. 523; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).