An early issue of the ‘Illustrated Atlas’, with the desirable town plans, by John Tallis which is probably the most famous British world atlas of the Victorian era and is considered by many the last to be decorative. It is bound from the original parts The ornate maps bear decorated boarders and vignettes with birds, views, and people. The maps, engraved by John Rapkin (1813–1899), are known for their ornate borders, vignette views, and detailed geography. They include vignette illustrations drawn by J. Marchant, J.C. Varrall, H. Warren, H. Winkles, and A.G. Wray amongst others and engraved by James Baylis Allen (1803-76), John Rogers (1800?-82) etc. The work was edited by Robert Montgomery Martin (c.1803-68).

The work was first issued in parts, as best we can determine commencing in 1849 or possibly 1850. It was priced at 1s or 25 cents each. The first part states on the cover that ‘Each shilling part will contain two finely coloured maps, with descriptive letter-press’. The maps, several of which were first issued in ‘The British Colonies’ published in 1849, are each accompanied by usually a two-page letterpress description. Town plans of England, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, and the United States are bound following the relevant map.

The whole work was published as an atlas in 1851 which was issued into the 1860s. Examples bound with the town plans are rare and highly desirable. Early examples of the work include a second title page dated 1851 and a view of the Great Pavilion which hosted the Great Exhibition of 1851. Neither are present here. Several factors suggest that this example is bound from parts. The plan of London issued for the Great Exhibition of 1851 is not present. The detailed analysis of the states of the eight Australian related maps undertaken by R. V. Tooley shows all but one are in the earliest possible state. For instance, the discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 is not recorded in the first state. This example is also bound with the ‘Index-Gazetteer’ claiming to have about 70,000 placenames.

John Tallis (1818-76) was the son of the bookseller John Tallis (1792-1842) who originally from Birmingham moved to London around 1820. The elder Tallis is noted for his rare London Street Views (1838–1840), a detailed series of elevations depicting the city’s main commercial streets with remarkable architectural precision. His son joined the business around 1836, and it appears that by 1838 was in control of the firm. From 1842-49 he was in partnership with his brother Frederick (1822-1901). In 1849 he went to New York to opened agencies there. By 1853 he was employing over 500 people. In 1854 he formed the ‘London Printing & Publishing Company’. In the first year of operation, it consumed 180 tons of paper and produced nearly 4 million engravings. The financial panic in the USA of 1857, considered the first to be worldwide, caused fatal damage to his business forcing him to declare bankruptcy in April 1861. He died leaving an estate with debts. Provenance: manuscript inscription inside front cover ‘Major General Denniss Mrs Denniss and the three [?] Denniss’s from their affectionate father August 30. 1879. Phillips (1909-) 822; Tooley (1979) nos. 1217, 1222, 1227, 1230, 1231, 1232, 1234A, and 1236; Worms (2007); Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).