Rea, Roger
Roger Rea (1606 - 1665) was an English mapseller and publisher. He was born in London to John and Elizabeth Rea; John Rea was a goldsmith - probably an exchanging goldsmith, a precursor to modern bankers. Roger was apprenticed as a stationer to Peter Cowley. He and his son - also Roger - went into business as publishers, primarily focusing on their purchase of the publishing rights to the maps of the Speed atlases. They produced editions of the Speed pocket atlases, and in 1662 produced a full edition of Speed's A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World. They may have continued publishing these as late as 1665, but the elder Rea died in the Great Plague of 1665 and the bulk of the Reas' stock was subsequently destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. Consequently, Rea editions of the Speed maps are rare.
Scare Rea edition.
Penbrokshyre described and the situations both of Penbroke and St. Davids shewed in due form as they were taken by John Speed.
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This is John Speed's map of the county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Engraved in 1608, this map was printed by publisher Roger Rea between 1662 and 1665. While Rea and his son produced an edition of Speed's The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, examples of their output were also sold to their competitor John Overton (1640 - 1708) for inclusion in his atlases. These lacked the verso text that generally characterizes Speed maps, and such examples are scarce. Moreover, much of the stock remaining to Roger Rea the Younger after his father's death of the plague was itself destroyed in the 1666 Great Fire of London. Thus, any example of a Speed map with the imprint of 'Roger Rea the Elder and younger' is a rarity. (more details)