Greece - Alexander Adam / Samuel John Neele / Cadell & Davies - 1797

Greece - Alexander Adam, engraver Samuel John Neele - 1797

This map appears in 'A summary of Geography and History (Plate 10), both ancient and modern', published in London by Cadell and Davies.

Alexander Adam, 1741 - 1809. Rector of the Royal High School, Edinburgh, Scottish teacher and writer on Greek and Roman antiquities.

Adam was a classical scholar and educational reformer. His family were tenant farmers in Morayshire, and he walked 150 miles from there to Edinburgh, aged seventeen, to attend logic classes at the university. Augmenting his interest in education, in 1763 he was appointed Rector of Edinburgh High School. Adam was a popular teacher, and his pupils included Sir Walter Scott, the critic Lord Francis Jeffery, Lord Chancellor Henry Brougham and the MP Francis Horner. In around 1805, fourteen former pupils commissioned Raeburn to paint Adam’s portrait, which they presented to the High School. When he died, his obituary referred to this portrait, stating that Raeburn had painted “an excellent likeness of the worthy rector, who is represented in the act of teaching his pupils”.

Samuel John Neele (July 29, 1758 - May 13, 1824) was a highly prolific British map engraver who operated during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He began his career as an apprentice to printer and engraver Harry Ashby from approximately 1781 to 1782 before launching his own practice in 1785 at 352 Strand, London. Through a combination of keen business insight and exceptional technical craftsmanship, Neele achieved remarkable success, producing an extensive collection of maps—literally hundreds throughout his career. His impressive body of work featured significant maps from many of the era's leading English publishers, including Haywood, Faden, Wallis, Stockdale, Arrowsmith, Thomson, Pinkerton, and Greenwood, among others. Following his passing, Neele’s sons, James and Josiah Neele, who were also skilled engravers, took over the family business around 1818, each establishing their own distinguished reputations in the field.

Samuel John Neele (1752-1824) was based at 352 The Strand from 1782 and worked for such eminent cartographers and publishers as Faden, Laurie, Stackhouse, Thomson and others. Neele engraved maps for Crosthwaite’s “Maps Of The Lake District” (along with Ashby and Ellis) and also for Daniel August Beaufort’s 1792 “New Map Of Ireland, Civil And Ecclesiastical”. Neele also engraved maps for such atlases as Thomson’s “New General Atlas” in 1817 and Robin’s “Atlas Of England And Wales” in 1819 amongst others.

Josiah Neele (1804-1876)

The firm S.J Neele & Son also worked 352 The Strand. They were responsible for the engraving of a number of maps and atlases for the pre-eminent publishers of the period – Greenough’s “Geological Map Of England And Wales” and Thomson’s “Atlas Of Scotland” are of particular note. Their work encompassed a variety of geographical areas with competency.

Thomas Cadell (The Elder) and William Davies was a publishing firm founded in London in 1793. The company was created when the bookseller and publisher Thomas Cadell the Elder (1742–1802) passed his enterprise on to his son, Thomas Cadell the Younger (1773–1836), along with his apprentice, William Davies. The partnership of Cadell & Davies came to an end following Davies’s death in 1819, while Cadell continued operations until his own passing in 1836.

Cadell & Davies were responsible for publishing the fourth to eighth editions of James Boswell's "Life of Johnson." Samuel John Neele (July 29, 1758 - May 13, 1824) was a highly prolific British map engraver active during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His career began as an apprentice to printer and engraver Harry Ashby between approximately 1781 and 1782, after which he established his own practice in 1785 at 352 Strand, London. Neele's astute business acumen and outstanding technical skills led him to achieve significant success, amassing an extensive portfolio of maps—literally hundreds throughout his lifetime. His impressive achievements included notable maps from many of the leading English publishers of the time, such as Haywood, Faden, Wallis, Stockdale, Arrowsmith, Thomson, Pinkerton, and Greenwood, among others. After his death, Neele's sons, James and Josiah Neele, who were also accomplished engravers, took over the family business around 1818, each carving out their own esteemed reputations in the profession. The Neele family was well-regarded in the engraver and publisher community in London.

The firm also published a variety of portraits derived from engravings based on previous drawings made from paintings.

One of the notable works published was a book by Edward Daniel Clarke, which included engravings by R. Watts of London. This book documented travels across various countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa in 1813 and served as a follow-up to an earlier publication on Russia, Tartary, and Turkey released in 1810. The second volume explored Greece, Egypt, and the Holy Land (1813).

In 1816, Cadell and Davies published works by Philip James de Loutherbourg, specifically for Thomas Macklin's folio bible, the Macklin Bible. De Loutherbourg contributed vignettes, including drawings based on apocryphal texts. These drawings were published posthumously by Cadell and Davies in 1816, after the passing of both Macklin and De Loutherbourg.

Additionally, the firm published "Britannia Depicta," a collection consisting of 130 views showcasing "the most interesting and picturesque objects in Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumberland, and Derbyshire." This series featured contributions from numerous engravers who worked from artists' drawings, with descriptions penned by Samuel Lysons, F.R.S., F.S.A. The book also included the work of Joseph Farington, such as "General View from Matlock High Tor," which appeared in Part VI, Derbyshire, published on May 15, 1817.

Map in excellent condition barring a few fox marks. Grading and pricing commensurate.