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Description

A fine example of Henry Overton's scarce plan of London, a highly detailed overview of the development of the city during the early to mid 18th-century.

This fascinating map embraces what was then the entire urban area of London and Westminster. It delineates and names all of the streets and shows all built-up areas, as well as the boundaries of the various wards, distinguished by lines of original color. Major buildings and properties are carefully labelled. It shows that while the commercial heart of the city remained within the 'Golden Square Mile' of the old City, the direction of the recent growth of London had moved westwards. While Westminster had traditionally been an urban area distinct from the city downriver, new growth had by this time filled in the areas in between, including Charing Cross near the river front, and northwards, including Mayfair (centered around Grovenor Square), Soho and further northwards in Marylebone.

On the far left hand side, the map shows part of Hyde Park, then on the outskirts of town. While the park had since the time of Henry VIII been reserved as a green space, it was only shortly prior to this map being made that it was coherently landscaped as a park. This project was undertaken by Charles Bridgeman for Queen Caroline; under the supervision of Charles Withers, the Surveyor-General of Woods and Forests. It was completed in 1733 at a cost to the Crown of £20,000.

The arms of the city of London occupy the lower-right corner and in the lower left is a table showing "the Rates of Hackney Coaches in London". This important transport medium had been under official fare price regulation since 1654, with all cabbies requiring licenses since 1662.

This important map, a key source documenting the development of London, was first issued in 1720, and went through several continually updated editions. All editions of the map are scarce on the market, for the survival rate of such large separately-issued maps is quite low.

Condition Description
Repaired fold split at centerfold and some minor soiling.
Reference
Howgego, 16.
Henry Overton Biography

The Overton family was a prominent part of the printing, and mapmaking, industry in London in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. John Overton (1639/40-1713) was the son of a tailor who apprenticed to Stationer Thomas Gould. He was made free of the Stationers’ Company in 1663. Two years later, London was struck by the Great Plague of 1665-6. Peter Stent, a leading printseller, succumbed and Overton took over his shop. This burned in the Great Fire of 1666, but Overton had rebuilt by 1669, when he advertised his wares from the White Horse on Snow Hill. Overton specialized in prints, portraits, and especially maps and topographical views.

John was likely married three times and had seven children. His eldest, Thomas, emigrated to America. His second oldest, Henry, was executor of John’s will when the latter died in 1713. Henry (1675/6-1751) acquired his father’s stock in 1707 and ran the shop until his own death in 1751. He published many maps, most focusing on the British Isles. His shop and stock passed to his nephew, another Henry, son of John’s fourth son, James.

Henry the Elder’s brother, Philip (ca. 1681-1745), was also a printer and mapmaker. Philip served as his father’s apprentice and was made free of the Stationers’ in 1702. His father set him up in the trade in 1707 and by 1710 he was working from the sign of the Golden Buck in Fleet Street. Philip specialized in fine arts prints, including Hogarth’s Hudibras set (1726), but he also sold many maps. At his death in 1745 he left his shop to his widow, Mary. She ran the shop and then married James Sayer, whose brother, Robert, became Mary’s assistant. He took over the business in 1748 and became a famous purveyor of maps, charts, and views.

Back at the sign of the White Horse, Henry the Younger continued the family business, expanding their stock to include a large collection of landscape views. He often partnered with Robert Sayer. He continued in business until at least 1764, when he drops out of the historical record.