Gibson / Camden - Britannia - 1722

THE MASTERPIECE OF CAMDEN, THE FACE OF GREAT BRITAIN IN 51 MAPS: MONUMENTAL WORK
9 engraved plates and 51 folded maps engraved by Robert Morden.
Monumental folio two-volume edition of William Camden's *Britannia*, published in London in 1722 and edited by Edmund Gibson. Considered one of the most influential historical-geographical syntheses of Great Britain, the work interweaves antiquarian erudition, topographical description and national ambition, offering an articulated portrait of the territory through text and images. The richly endowed cartographic apparatus — with 51 folded maps engraved by Robert Morden — gives the work the dimension of a true atlas, in which geographical representation becomes a tool for identity construction and cultural memory.

MARKET VALUE
The folio editions of *Britannia* accompanied by full cartographic apparatus generally sell between 3,000 and 5,000 euros, with higher figures for well-preserved copies, complete with maps and with contemporaneous bindings in good condition.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
2 volumes. Contemporary full leather bindings with gilded decorations on the boards and decorated spines. Front boards partially loosened, wear to corners and abrasions to boards. Red and black title-page; engraved portrait of William Camden in the frontispiece to the first volume. 9 engraved plates and 51 folded maps engraved by Robert Morden. Presence of woodworm galleries in Volume I, mainly at the lower margin, sometimes affecting the text and some maps. Browning and physiological foxing. As usual in old books with a long history of conservation, there may be additional imperfections not always noted in the description.
Pp.:
(2); 72; 134; 2 nn.; 348; (4).
(2); 2 nn.; 764; 192 nn.; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
*Britannia: or, a Chorographical Description of Great Britain and Ireland.*
London, Printed by Mary Matthews for Awnsham Churchill, 1722.
William Camden; edited by Edmund Gibson.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
First published in 1586, Camden's *Britannia* represents a foundational work for British historiography and geography. Far from a mere description of the territory, it integrates history, antiquarianism, epigraphy and topography in a unified project aimed at defining the historical identity of the nation.
The 1722 edition, enlarged and updated by Edmund Gibson, constitutes one of the most complete and authoritative versions. The extensive cartographic apparatus plays an essential role: the maps by Robert Morden provide a detailed view of the British counties, transforming the text into a tool of visual and administrative knowledge of the territory. In a context marked by colonial expansion and the gradual formation of the modern state, the work also takes on ideological significance: to know the territory is to define it, order it, and legitimize it.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
William Camden (1551–1623), English antiquarian and historian, was among the leading scholars of the Elizabethan era and founder of British antiquarian historiography. He devoted his life to the study of the territory and its historical sources. Edmund Gibson (1669–1748), bishop and scholar, oversaw subsequent editions, expanding and updating the work with new scholarly contributions.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
From the first edition of 1586, the *Britannia* underwent numerous reprints and enlargements. The 1722 edition, printed in London, represents one of the most complete, enriched by an extensive cartographic apparatus and critical updates. Widely circulated among scholars, collectors and administrators, it played a central role in shaping geographic and historical knowledge of Great Britain.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ESTC (English Short Title Catalogue), 1722 edition.
Wing (for the earlier editions and the Camdenian editorial tradition).
British Library Catalogue, *Britannia* 1722.
WorldCat/OCLC, international records.
Skelton, R.A., *County Atlases of the British Isles*, for the maps by Robert Morden.