Scale's charming 18th century map of Queen's County, now County Laois in central Ireland. North is oriented towards the right of the map.

Bernard
Scale was apprenticed to John Roque, one of the leading commercial map makers
of the 18th century. In the 1750s, Rocque worked extensively in
Dublin, where Scale joined him. While assisting Rocque, Scale also took the
opportunity to establish links in Ireland and conceived the idea of producing a
county atlas of the country.

The
fruition of the project culminated in 1776, with the first edition of the
“Hibernian Atlas” published by Robert Sayer. This work consisted of thirty-six
finely engraved maps with beautiful, stylistic compass roses and elaborate
title calligraphy.

The work
was highly successful, going through several editions into the early 19th
century. It is also characterized by its delicate original colour.

Original colour. [IRE2138]