The Jefferys & Faden collection is made up of 2 bound volumes containing 89 incoming letters to the firm and to William Faden. Most letters pertain to the acquisition, availability, and publication of maps.
The first volume has 62 incoming letters and invoices (August 26, 1773-October 13, 1783) to Jefferys & Faden and, after 1776, to William Faden. Map sellers, cartographers, and booksellers in France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy wrote about map publication and availability. Correspondents included Italian engraver Giovanni Rizzi-Zannoni and French engraver and map dealer John Lattré, who often requested maps depicting areas of significance during the American Revolution. Invoices concern maps sent to the firm and to Faden. The volume also contains a loose, three-page advertisement in French for the geographical maps and other works of [Jean Baptiste Bourguignon] d'Anville.
The second volume has 8 letters to William Faden from George Lamers and 19 from W. [Famitte] (May 15, 1781-October 23, 1783). Famitte discussed maps that he sent to Faden and described his efforts to locate various maps. In his letter of May 5, 1783, Famitte affixed a newspaper advertisement in English for the publication of a hydrographical survey of the North Channel and St. George's Channel.
Thomas Jefferys (b. 1755) was the son of Thomas Jefferys (ca. 1719-1771), a cartographer, publisher, and geographer to King George III. He was apprenticed to his father and oversaw the family business after his father's death. From 1771-1776, he had a business partnership with William Faden.
William Faden was born in London in 1749, the son of William Faden, a printer. He was apprenticed to engraver James Wigley and joined the younger Thomas Jefferys in a business partnership in the early 1770s. In 1783, he inherited his father's business and became geographer to King George III. Faden retired in 1823 and died in Shepperton, England, on March 21, 1836.
