RICHARD NICHOLSON of CHESTER
A WORLD OF ANTIQUE MAPS AND PRINTS
The Cartographer
GEORGE BICKHAM
A unique series of 18th century Bird's Eye Views of the Counties
The Bickam family were a family of engravers printers, publishers an bookseller working in London in the 18th century
- George Bickham senior 1684 - 1758. Studied engraving under John Sturt. He lived and worked in James Street, Burnhill Fields and Fetherstone Street, Burnhill Fields
- George Bickham junior c.1706 - 1771
When Michael Drayton's Poly-Olbion was published in 1612 it introduced us to a completely new and unique design for county maps. We have to wait for over 100 years for such a break in tradition to appear again when George Bickham published The British Monarchy: Or, a new chronographical description of all the dominions subject to the King of Great Britain.. The work was first published in parts and would eventually contain 188 copperplates including 5 general maps and 43 maps of the English counties plus a map of North Wales and another of South Wales.
The maps portray each English county in a most curious way. A view from the air as if by some magical 18th century drone. But more simply they are referred to as Birds Eye Views.
The map plates were engraved by George Bickham junior and and some are dated from 1750 to 1754 so it is unlikely that the complete edition was published before 1754.
MAP GALLERY
1754 EDITION
