Dorset Maps

20x25 cm

ORIGINAL OUTLINE COLOUR.

DORSETSHIRE.
ENGRAVED BY SID.^Y HALL.

This series of maps first appeared in Gorton's Topographical Dictionary, issued in parts over a three year period from 1830, the complete work published between 1831 and 1833. The maps were then issued in A New British Atlas…, Sidney Hall's British Atlas…, A Travelling County Atlas… and other variations on the title, published by Chapman and Hall from 1834 until c.1888. The popularity of the work was due in part to regular updates to the plates to include the latest railway developments. The maps were intaglio printed until c.1858 and then by lithographic transfer until about 1885. The engraver Sidney Hall (1788?-1831), began work as an engraver about 1809 and was in partnership with Michael Thomson (fl.1809-1815) in 1814. Hall was a pioneer in steel engraving, producing steel engraved maps from from 1821. He married Selina Price in 1821 and died early in 1831 aged forty-two. His business was continued by his wife Selina, who was also a highly skilled engraver with an engraving style and quality matching that of her husband. While Sidney Hall usually signed his engravings "Sid^y.Hall.", Selina Hall signed her engravings "S.Hall." as other maps in this series. Given the high standard of her engraving, indistinguishable from her husband's work, it seems likely that Selina was working anonymously for her husband and signing maps in his name prior to his death. As Sidney died during the production of this publication, it is possible that Selina may have been the engraver of this map, signing the plate as his work. Sidney Hall was probably not related to William Hall, the joint founder of the publishing firm Chapman and Hall. 
This example, in original outline hand colour, is from the 1852 edition entitled A Travelling County Atlas: with All the Railroads Accurately Laid Down and Coloured published by Chapman and Hall, 193 Piccadilly. (Late 186 Strand.)