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Description

Herman Moll's map of the British Isles

Large format map of the British Isles, colored by counties, published by one of London's leading mapmakers of the first part of the 18th Century, Herman Moll.

As noted in the top left corner, Moll's map includes roads (derived from John Ogilby's maps), post towns (as gathered from the Postmaster General), and details regarding the fisheries and woods of "North Britain." Moll notes that this the first map to include "the Royall Borroughs of North Britain," some of which are not found on any other maps. A number of "New Forts" are shown (Bernera, Kilwhnimen, Ruthsun of Badenoch and Innersnail).

A note below the title cartouche indicates that all towns and borroughs in Great Britain that have the right to choose a member of Parliament are marked with one or two stars, according to the number of members elected. The note also shows the changes affected by the Union Act of 1707 (the number of Parliament changed to 558 members).

Moll became acquainted with a number of British explorers, scientists, writers and publishers while frequenting Jonathan's Coffee House in Change Alley, London. Dennis Reinhartz explains that Moll drank coffee with the Knapton's publishers of voyage accounts, including Dampier's, Dampier's fellow privateer Woodes Rogers, the scientist Robert Hooke, the botanist John Martin, and writers Jonathan Swift, and Daniel Defoe.

Born ca. 1654 in Bremen, Moll moved to England and engraved for Moses Pitt, Sir Jonas Moore, Grenville Collins, John Adair, and the Seller & Price firm. He published his first original maps in the early 1680s and had set up his own shop by the 1690s. Over the course of his career he published dozens of geographies, atlases and histories, not to mention numerous sheet maps. His most famous works are Atlas Geographus, a monthly magazine that ran from 1708 to 1717, and The World Described (1715-54). He also frequently made maps for books, including those of Dampier's publications and Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

Condition Description
Minor discoloration at folds and a few very minor repaired marginal tears, just touching printed image.
Herman Moll Biography

Herman Moll (c. 1654-1732) was one of the most important London mapmakers in the first half of the eighteenth century.  Moll was probably born in Bremen, Germany, around 1654. He moved to London to escape the Scanian Wars. His earliest work was as an engraver for Moses Pitt on the production of the English Atlas, a failed work which landed Pitt in debtor's prison. Moll also engraved for Sir Jonas Moore, Grenville Collins, John Adair, and the Seller & Price firm. He published his first original maps in the early 1680s and had set up his own shop by the 1690s. 

Moll's work quickly helped him become a member of a group which congregated at Jonathan's Coffee House at Number 20 Exchange Alley, Cornhill, where speculators met to trade stock. Moll's circle included the scientist Robert Hooke, the archaeologist William Stuckley, the authors Jonathan Swift and Daniel Defoe, and the intellectually-gifted pirates William Dampier, Woodes Rogers and William Hacke. From these contacts, Moll gained a great deal of privileged information that was included in his maps. 

Over the course of his career, he published dozens of geographies, atlases, and histories, not to mention numerous sheet maps. His most famous works are Atlas Geographus, a monthly magazine that ran from 1708 to 1717, and The World Described (1715-54). He also frequently made maps for books, including those of Dampier’s publications and Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. Moll died in 1732. It is likely that his plates passed to another contemporary, Thomas Bowles, after this death.