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Description

Decorative map of the County of Buckingham, from Speed's Theatre of Great Britain.

This detailed map of Buckinghamshire is notable for its inclusion of town plans of Buckingham and Reading in the upper corners, along with the coats of arms of prominent local families.

The map provides a comprehensive view of the county's geography, with illustrated features such as rivers, forests, and towns.

The surrounding decorations include ornate cartouches, the royal coat of arms, and heraldic shields, which lend the map both decorative appeal and political significance.

Condition Description
Engraving on 17th-century laid paper. Fourth state (motto under Royal Arms changed to 'BEATI PACIFICI').
John Speed Biography

John Speed (1551 or '52 - 28 July 1629) was the best known English mapmaker of the Stuart period. Speed came to mapmaking late in life, producing his first maps in the 1590s and entering the trade in earnest when he was almost 60 years old.

John Speed's fame, which continues to this day, lies with two atlases, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine (first published 1612), and the Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World (1627). While The Theatre ... started as solely a county atlas, it grew into an impressive world atlas with the inclusion of the Prospect in 1627. The plates for the atlas passed through many hands in the 17th century, and the book finally reached its apotheosis in 1676 when it was published by Thomas Bassett and Richard Chiswell, with a number of important maps added for the first time.