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Atlases from a Private Swiss Collection
BLAEU, Joan (1596-1673) & Willem BLAEU (1571-1638)
Theatrum Orbis terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Amsterdam: Willem and Joan Blaeu 1635 [but 1644-1655].
Details
BLAEU, Joan (1596-1673) & Willem BLAEU (1571-1638)
Theatrum Orbis terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Amsterdam: Willem and Joan Blaeu 1635 [but 1644-1655].
Finely-coloured copy of the Blaeus’ first attempt at a large, multi-volume atlas of the world. In 1634, Willem Blaeu published a German edition of a 2-volume atlas with a Latin title, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. This was followed by Latin, Dutch and French editions in 1635. The title deliberately echoed the previous efforts of Abraham Ortelius, while simultaneously signalling with the words Atlas Novus that this was a new publication at the fore-front of cartographic knowledge.
Willem planned another 2 additional volumes, but these were only completed after his death, in 1640 and 1645. Willem's son, Joan, progressively expanded the Atlas Novus to six volumes by 1655, and this is the work in the present lot. In effect it forms the first half of the Atlas Major, which Joan saw through the press in following decade, in 1662. Van der Krogt II 2:612 (pp.357-382).
Volume I [Northern and Eastern Europe, Germania and the Low Countries]. Engraved title with printed overslip with date of 1635, 120 engraved maps, all but one double-page, of which 5 folding (Part 2, The Low Countries, bound before part 1, lacking half-title and 2 leaves of text [‘Lectori’ and laudatory poem], without letterpress and engraved titles to part 2, general engraved title loose with light staining to left-hand edge and bottom right-hand corner, letterpress leaves 2*1-2, D1of the introduction, and gathering Z1-2 with extensive marginal repairs, a few other leaves with some minor repairs to corners and a couple of guards strengthened, leaf ‘Litaniae Descriptio Summa’ supplied from the 1640 edition [2:201.1C] with signature ‘V’ erased and foliation altered in ink manuscript from ‘23’ to ’28,’ folding map of Dniepr River bound after map ‘Karstia,’ occasional light browning, spotting and marginal staining). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.1GH.
Volume II [France and Spain, and the continents]. 2 engraved titles, 92 double-page engraved maps (first engraved title for vol. II [2:22A] but with printed overslip from Vol. I, part 2, The Low Countries, second engraved title [2:22B] for part 2 with printed overslips with imprint dated 1645, map 54 ‘Biscaia & Gvipvscoa’ with bottom right-hand corner margin trimmed, some very minor marginal staining creeping to fore-edge to a few leaves towards end, otherwise a clean copy). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.1H.
Volume III [Italy and Greece with supplements]. Engraved title and 66 maps, all but 3 double-page (leaf 2G unsigned but foliated 36 as per the Vienna copy seen by Van der Krogt, with the signature and foliation added in ink manuscript, some light even browning throughout). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.3H.
Volume IV [England]. Engraved title with printed overslip and imprint date of 1645, 58 maps, all but one double-page, 3 engraved views in text including Stonehenge and Avebury (variable browning to a large number of maps including that of Cornwall, marginal tear to letterpress leaf 7C2). Van der Krogt II, 2:301Ha.
Volume V [Scotland and Ireland]. Engraved title hand-coloured and heightened with gold, 55 engraved maps (maps of Lauderdale and Galloway lightly browned, marginal repaired tear to map ‘Extima Scotiae’, some variable light spotting, last few text leaves with faint staining to fore-edge). Van der Krogt II, 2:401Qc.
Volume VI [China]. Engraved title hand-coloured and heightened with gold, with letterpress overslip, preliminaries conforming to Van der Krogt’s variant a, 17 engraved maps (variable browning throughout). Van der Krogt II, 2:501A.
6 volumes, folio (510 x 325mm). 7 engraved titles and , 408 engraved maps, most full-sheet, a few folding, the maps embellished with cartouches, allegorical figures, coats-of-arms, ships, etc., numerous woodcut and engraved diagrams and illustrations in text, woodcut initials and ornaments, maps, engraved titles and text illustrations fully coloured by a contemporary hand, a few heightened with gold (some variable browning, spotting and staining). Original publisher’s vellum, panelled in gilt with central arabesque, flat spines tooled in gilt, yapp edges, gilt edges (lacking ties to most vols, some soiling and rubbing). Provenance: Heinrich, Baron von Gudenus (1839-1915; armorial bookplates dated 1891).
Theatrum Orbis terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Amsterdam: Willem and Joan Blaeu 1635 [but 1644-1655].
Finely-coloured copy of the Blaeus’ first attempt at a large, multi-volume atlas of the world. In 1634, Willem Blaeu published a German edition of a 2-volume atlas with a Latin title, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. This was followed by Latin, Dutch and French editions in 1635. The title deliberately echoed the previous efforts of Abraham Ortelius, while simultaneously signalling with the words Atlas Novus that this was a new publication at the fore-front of cartographic knowledge.
Willem planned another 2 additional volumes, but these were only completed after his death, in 1640 and 1645. Willem's son, Joan, progressively expanded the Atlas Novus to six volumes by 1655, and this is the work in the present lot. In effect it forms the first half of the Atlas Major, which Joan saw through the press in following decade, in 1662. Van der Krogt II 2:612 (pp.357-382).
Volume I [Northern and Eastern Europe, Germania and the Low Countries]. Engraved title with printed overslip with date of 1635, 120 engraved maps, all but one double-page, of which 5 folding (Part 2, The Low Countries, bound before part 1, lacking half-title and 2 leaves of text [‘Lectori’ and laudatory poem], without letterpress and engraved titles to part 2, general engraved title loose with light staining to left-hand edge and bottom right-hand corner, letterpress leaves 2*1-2, D1of the introduction, and gathering Z1-2 with extensive marginal repairs, a few other leaves with some minor repairs to corners and a couple of guards strengthened, leaf ‘Litaniae Descriptio Summa’ supplied from the 1640 edition [2:201.1C] with signature ‘V’ erased and foliation altered in ink manuscript from ‘23’ to ’28,’ folding map of Dniepr River bound after map ‘Karstia,’ occasional light browning, spotting and marginal staining). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.1GH.
Volume II [France and Spain, and the continents]. 2 engraved titles, 92 double-page engraved maps (first engraved title for vol. II [2:22A] but with printed overslip from Vol. I, part 2, The Low Countries, second engraved title [2:22B] for part 2 with printed overslips with imprint dated 1645, map 54 ‘Biscaia & Gvipvscoa’ with bottom right-hand corner margin trimmed, some very minor marginal staining creeping to fore-edge to a few leaves towards end, otherwise a clean copy). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.1H.
Volume III [Italy and Greece with supplements]. Engraved title and 66 maps, all but 3 double-page (leaf 2G unsigned but foliated 36 as per the Vienna copy seen by Van der Krogt, with the signature and foliation added in ink manuscript, some light even browning throughout). Van der Krogt II, 2:202.3H.
Volume IV [England]. Engraved title with printed overslip and imprint date of 1645, 58 maps, all but one double-page, 3 engraved views in text including Stonehenge and Avebury (variable browning to a large number of maps including that of Cornwall, marginal tear to letterpress leaf 7C2). Van der Krogt II, 2:301Ha.
Volume V [Scotland and Ireland]. Engraved title hand-coloured and heightened with gold, 55 engraved maps (maps of Lauderdale and Galloway lightly browned, marginal repaired tear to map ‘Extima Scotiae’, some variable light spotting, last few text leaves with faint staining to fore-edge). Van der Krogt II, 2:401Qc.
Volume VI [China]. Engraved title hand-coloured and heightened with gold, with letterpress overslip, preliminaries conforming to Van der Krogt’s variant a, 17 engraved maps (variable browning throughout). Van der Krogt II, 2:501A.
6 volumes, folio (510 x 325mm). 7 engraved titles and , 408 engraved maps, most full-sheet, a few folding, the maps embellished with cartouches, allegorical figures, coats-of-arms, ships, etc., numerous woodcut and engraved diagrams and illustrations in text, woodcut initials and ornaments, maps, engraved titles and text illustrations fully coloured by a contemporary hand, a few heightened with gold (some variable browning, spotting and staining). Original publisher’s vellum, panelled in gilt with central arabesque, flat spines tooled in gilt, yapp edges, gilt edges (lacking ties to most vols, some soiling and rubbing). Provenance: Heinrich, Baron von Gudenus (1839-1915; armorial bookplates dated 1891).
Brought to you by
Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts