Sheet  61ne, Old Series 1". c1852/53. First edition. Shropshire: Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge, Shifnal. Hand-coloured engraving, 31 x 51cm. All dates trimmed. Cut, mounted on linen and folded to 20.5 x 13cm without covers.  Bottom margin trimmed to map edge. Age-toned and slightly soiled, dull colours. In good condition.

 

The colour selection is from an earlier specification, found on the earliest maps of Mid Wales, preceding the more familiar standard legend that soon followed. Principally, a pale green is used for alluvium and dark green and green are used for igneous rocks that are now coloured shades of purple, orange, and red. In this map the brown wavy line is omitted over pale brown for the New Red Sandstone. The usual ‘first edition’ maps in this area give the geological mapping dates as a range such as 1853/55 and have a slightly expanded legend. On this map which omits the geological dates, we take it as 1852/53 in view of the of the colours. RARE.