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Mr. Philip D. Burden
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com
This is a book of songs by the Elizabethan poet Michael Drayton (1563-1631). He began publication of his longest poem in 1612. It comprises a series of songs in praise of the English and Welsh countryside, with accompanying allegorical maps. Illustrated with 18 maps of usually two English counties each. Emphasis is placed on the rivers with much ornate decoration. Provenance, sold in Christies London 30 January 1980 as lot 45 for £2,310. Cope ‘The Puzzling Aspects of Drayton’s Poly-Olbion’, The Map Collector 17 pp. 16-20; Shirley BL T.Dra 1c; Skelton 9; STC 7227.
DRAYTON, Michael
Poly-Olbion or a Chorographicall Description ... By Michaell Drayton Esqr.
London, 1612-[13]
Folio (302 x 202 mm.), full late seventeenth century panelled calf, rebacked preserving original gilt spine sections. Typographic frontispiece on verso; engraved title; typographic title; dedication to Henrie Prince of Wales, on the verso verses; engraved portrait of Henry Prince of Wales in the second state; address to the Generall Reader [A1]; ‘From the Author of the Illustrations’ (John Selden) dated 9 May 1612 [A2r-A4v]; text B1r-Dd2r]. With eighteen double page maps. pp. (16), 304, (8) and the original blank leaves. The map showing Anglesey has a small rusthole, that of Staffordshire with another and small centrefold splits top and bottom repaired. Light water stain in upper margin not unattractive. With eighteenth century notes at the foot of the portrait and again on recto of typographic frontispiece. Probably by Thomas Roberts whose inscription appears on the typographic titlepage. With unidentified eighteenth century rococco bookplate.
Stock number: 1746
SOLD