John Seller, appointed Hydrographer to Charles II in I671, was a maker of mathematical instruments and globes as well as a publisher of marine and terrestrial atlases. His output was considerable and wide-ranging,covering individual charts and maps and complete atlases, but throughout his life he was beset with financial problems which limited the scope of his bigger projects. Of these, the English Pilot, the first part of which successful, but he was able to complete only the first volume without assistance. The details of issue of the later volumes and their subsequent editions are too complicated to be covered here; suffice to say that the work was continued in one form or another for over a century, being issued under many different namesincluding John and Samuel Thornton, W. Fisher, C. Price, Richard and William Mount, Thomas Page and Davidson.

Above: Antique map of Bedfordshire which appeared in John Seller's Anglia Contracta (London: J. Seller, 1694/1695). John Seller (fl. 1660-1697 Engraved area approx: 5" x 6" ( 125mm x 150mm) to plate mark. External mount size: 10.25" X 11" (260mm x 280mm).  See Bedfordshire Map

Although the Englisb Pilot was a popular work, Seller used Dutch sources and often actual Dutch copper plates which he adapted for the market by the use of English titles and details. As many of these plates were up to fifty years old their accuracy left much to be desired, a fact which directly inspired the call for a new coastal survey subsequently completed by Captain Greenvile Collins. Later, in 1695, Seller published an Atlas of County Maps, the Anglia Contracta. (Text extract from Antique Maps a Collectors Guide: Moreland C. & David Bannister. Publisher: Phaidon Christie's limited 1989.  Antique Maps a Collectors Guide

Another book recommendation for the novice antique map collector. One of the major problems confronting the collector is that of identifying the maps he collects. This is often difficult, for many maps lack the maker's name, the date, the publisher or other helpful detail. Owing to the practices of map publishers in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, attributions of a very large number of maps and their identification is today a matter for the expert. In this book Mr Tooley lists and describes nearly 500 maps in such detail as to facilitate identification. He gives the full title, maker's name-often a short biography-size, date, edition or re-issue, significant internal changes and variations. In addition, as an indispensable visual aid to identification the book contains more than 100 full-page reproductions of maps, six in full colour. . . 

Above: Collectors Guide to Maps of The African Continent and Southern Africa.  Tooley R.V. Publisher: Carta Press 1969
​Size: 10" x 7.5" (255mm x 190mm). Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good.
See more antique maps Reference Books

The maps of Robert Morden (1611-1703) remain ever popular with collectors of English County Maps. Morden occupied premises in New Cheapside and Cornhill London, where he carried on business under the sign of "The Atlas" as a map, book seller and maker of instruments and globes. Not an outstanding cartographer his work was much critizised, but he produced intertesting sets of geographical playing cards, maps of various parts of the world and as shown below county maps for Camden's Britannica which he is best known for.

Bath - Aquaduct Bridge Claverton c1805. Aquatint and etching with original hand colouring. London, Publish'd 1805 by William Miller, Abermarle Street. Original print on watermarked J. Whatman 1801 wove paper. Superb aquatint by John Hill after the painter and draughtman John Claude Nattes. If you don't know the work of John Hill you really are missing something . . .