A hand coloured title page 'The Theatre of Great Britaine' John Speed 1627

SPEED, John. A hand coloured title page from 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine'. London: George Humble, 1627.
 
Hand-coloured engraved allegorical title page from Speed’s celebrated atlas of Great Britain. Image size approximately 390 x 250 mm. Mounted for display. Overall an excellent near fine example, mounted verso with archival tape.
 
This title page is from the 1627 edition on laid paper with attractive early hand-colouring, depicting allegorical and historical figures representing the successive peoples of Britain including the Britons, Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans surrounding the architectural title framework. Imprint at foot: “Are to be sold by George Humble at the White Horse in Popes-head Alley.” 
 
The engraved title page formed part of John Speed’s monumental The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, first issued in 1611 and regarded as the first major atlas of the British Isles produced by an English cartographer.