Whole of France

40x50 cm

FRANCE.
Engraved by S. Hall, Bury Str. Bloomsbury.
Large double page steel engraving by S. Hall published in Blacks General Atlas; a series of fifty-four maps from the latest and most authentic sources engraved on steel in the first style of the art...A.& C. Black, London 1840.

Steel engraving published in Black’s General Atlas from 1840. The map is signed by engraver S. Hall. 

Sidney Hall (1788?-1831) was in partnership with Michael Thomson (fl.1809-1815) as "Thomson and Hall" in 1814. Hall is almost certainly the first engraver to use steel plates for map engraving, using plates manufactured by the Jacob Perkins process as early as 1821. Hall died early 1831 aged 42, pre-dating the publication of Black’s atlas by some nine years. It is known that his business was continued by his wife Selina Hall 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 simply "S. Hall". Given the high standard of her engraving and the almost identical style, it seems likely that Selina was working anonymously for her husband and signing maps in his name prior to his death.
Selina Hall (1780?-1853) was born Selina Price in Radnorshire about 1780. She was mentioned in the will of Michael Thomson in 1816, who died late 1815 or early 1816, less than two years after his partnership with Sidney Hall. Hall took over Thomson's Bloomsbury Street premises after his death and, some five years later, married Selina Price on 25th August 1821 at St. George, Bloomsbury. Selina continued the business under her husband's name and is recorded as an engraver in Bury Street on the 1841 Census. She died November 1853 leaving her books, maps etc., to her nephew Edward Weller (1819-1884) who took over the business.

Closed tear at right paper edge not affecting the printed area and some light wrinkling at the centrefold but still a good example of a fine engraving in original hand colour.