A preferred side bound example of this small and attractive atlas which was first published from November 1748 in thirteen weekly parts by a consortium of nine publishers. No copy of this version survives and it seems likely that Thomas Jefferys and Thomas Kitchin took over the project at an early date. A first edition of the atlas was published in 1749. At some point before the publication of the second edition in 1751 alterations were made to some of the plates. During the issue of this 1751 edition plate numbers were added therefore the states of the maps can vary. This is an early example of the 1751 edition which bears 36 maps in their first state, 14 in their second state and none with plate numbers.

Although dated 1751 on the title page the earliest known advertisement for the work appeared in the ‘London Daily Advertiser’ on 16 May 1752. It was offered for 5s. half-bound or 7s. 6d. bound and coloured. It could be bought at Thomas Jeffery’s shop as well as that of John Boydell in Cheapside and William Herbert at the Golden Globe on London Bridge. The title page itself also indicated that it was for sale in Dublin courtesy of George Faulkner and in Paris with George Louis Le Rouge. Jeffery’s would develop strong connections in Paris. Thomas Kitchin is not identified as a vendor as at this point in his career he did not have any retail premises. The atlas proved popular, running to 6 editions, with various changes and additions, the last being in 1787. Chubb (1927) 193; Hodson (1984-97) 210; Pedley (1986) pp. 20-23; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).