Name: John Seller
Dates: 1639-1701
Type of map: Copper plate engraved maps and charts
John Seller was a 17th century cartographer based in the London district of Wapping. He lived a somewhat controversial existence, being at one time accused of conspiring to kill King Charles II. He was not, however, tried for this treasonous act and went on, surprisingly, to become Hydrographer to the King. Living in Wapping provided Seller with access to various maritime and sea-faring details and requirements, prompting an interest in sea charts and map making.
Given this increasing knowledge, Seller embarked on a cartographic voyage of his own, his intention being to chart the coasts and waters around Britain. This collection would be entitled The English Pilot. Originally planned as a minimum three-volume epic, it proved to be a mammoth task and only the first was completed, the remaining two published incomplete the next year. Seller went on to publish more charts of the Mediterranean for the second volume in 1677. The project eventually came to am end in 1680, and Seller recouped some of the expense by selling the publishing rights. The concept of The English Pilot was to be taken on later by Captain Grenville Collins, whose work was widely used in maritime circles.
Ever the optimist, Seller's next challenge started in around 1693 when he began work on the Atlas Anglicanus - a projected complete small atlas of the British Isles. This also proved too much and was brought to an abrupt end with only six maps completed.
Anglia Contracta, was a collection of small (about 3" x 4") of the counties of England and Wales. Seller did complete this one and published it in 1696. These small maps, though based on already published material from a number of sources including John Speed, were deliberately simple and crude, other than their decorative cartouche. This successful travellers atlas ran for several editions until around 1703. Seller did contribute to and publish several other works towards the end of his complex life, but none stood the test of time quite as well.
After Seller's death, the plates were sold on to Francis Grosse some years later. After adding an often rather roughly hand printed block of text to each county map, and simplifying Seller's decorative cartouche into a plain stamp, Grosse went on to publish the remarkable small volume named: The Antiquities of England and Wales. Published between the years 1773 and 1787, this fine work went on to be a runaway success for Grosse.
Unfortunately, over the years, unscrupulous map-dealers have often misnamed these later Francis Grosse maps as John Seller maps, cutting off the block of text below the maps and dating them c.1696 (the 17th century label being more attractive than the 18th!). The Francis Grosse maps in their original published state, complete with text, are fine examples of embellishing maps to the good, but finer still are the original Seller maps with the distinctive, decorative cartouche, dated correctly.
Given this increasing knowledge, Seller embarked on a cartographic voyage of his own, his intention being to chart the coasts and waters around Britain. This collection would be entitled The English Pilot. Originally planned as a minimum three-volume epic, it proved to be a mammoth task and only the first was completed, the remaining two published incomplete the next year. Seller went on to publish more charts of the Mediterranean for the second volume in 1677. The project eventually came to am end in 1680, and Seller recouped some of the expense by selling the publishing rights. The concept of The English Pilot was to be taken on later by Captain Grenville Collins, whose work was widely used in maritime circles.
Ever the optimist, Seller's next challenge started in around 1693 when he began work on the Atlas Anglicanus - a projected complete small atlas of the British Isles. This also proved too much and was brought to an abrupt end with only six maps completed.
Anglia Contracta, was a collection of small (about 3" x 4") of the counties of England and Wales. Seller did complete this one and published it in 1696. These small maps, though based on already published material from a number of sources including John Speed, were deliberately simple and crude, other than their decorative cartouche. This successful travellers atlas ran for several editions until around 1703. Seller did contribute to and publish several other works towards the end of his complex life, but none stood the test of time quite as well.
After Seller's death, the plates were sold on to Francis Grosse some years later. After adding an often rather roughly hand printed block of text to each county map, and simplifying Seller's decorative cartouche into a plain stamp, Grosse went on to publish the remarkable small volume named: The Antiquities of England and Wales. Published between the years 1773 and 1787, this fine work went on to be a runaway success for Grosse.
Unfortunately, over the years, unscrupulous map-dealers have often misnamed these later Francis Grosse maps as John Seller maps, cutting off the block of text below the maps and dating them c.1696 (the 17th century label being more attractive than the 18th!). The Francis Grosse maps in their original published state, complete with text, are fine examples of embellishing maps to the good, but finer still are the original Seller maps with the distinctive, decorative cartouche, dated correctly.