Details
PITT, Moses. The English Atlas. Oxford: for J. Jansonius â Waesberge, Moses Pitt and Steven Swart, [1680]-1681-[1683].
4 volumes in two, 2° (562 x 355mm). Engraved architectural general title by J. van Munnikhuysen after L.Webbers (bound as title to first volume), engraved frontispiece to volume II (bound as the title to the second volume, with mounted letterpress title) double-page engraved plate of Laplanders and 174 maps of Northern Europe, 4 folding, 169 double-page. (A few minor tears, the majority to the folds, occasionally affecting the images, the outer margin of one folding map torn). Contemporary calf-backed boards (spines slightly chipped, corners bumped, lacking the majority of the marbled paper covering the boards).
A fine set internally, despite the tears. This copy, with the exception of the indices and a directions to the binder leaf is without letterpress text or titles, and the portraits and frontispiece to vol.IV. None of these appear to be required in this issue. The work comprises two fine world maps and a map of the North Pole, with the remaining sheets covering Northern and Eastern Europe, particularly Germany and the Low Countries, all based on Dutch cartography. Moses Pitt's ambitious plan was to produce a 12-volume atlas in the Blaeu-Jansson tradition; however, these first four volumes are all that were published. The project halted when Pitt was imprisoned for debts incurred as a result of building speculation. The Pitt/Jansson/Swart title to vol.II is a variant not recorded by Wing, although a similar imprint for vol.I (dated 1680) is recorded: cf. Wing 2306-2306C. (2)
4 volumes in two, 2° (562 x 355mm). Engraved architectural general title by J. van Munnikhuysen after L.Webbers (bound as title to first volume), engraved frontispiece to volume II (bound as the title to the second volume, with mounted letterpress title) double-page engraved plate of Laplanders and 174 maps of Northern Europe, 4 folding, 169 double-page. (A few minor tears, the majority to the folds, occasionally affecting the images, the outer margin of one folding map torn). Contemporary calf-backed boards (spines slightly chipped, corners bumped, lacking the majority of the marbled paper covering the boards).
A fine set internally, despite the tears. This copy, with the exception of the indices and a directions to the binder leaf is without letterpress text or titles, and the portraits and frontispiece to vol.IV. None of these appear to be required in this issue. The work comprises two fine world maps and a map of the North Pole, with the remaining sheets covering Northern and Eastern Europe, particularly Germany and the Low Countries, all based on Dutch cartography. Moses Pitt's ambitious plan was to produce a 12-volume atlas in the Blaeu-Jansson tradition; however, these first four volumes are all that were published. The project halted when Pitt was imprisoned for debts incurred as a result of building speculation. The Pitt/Jansson/Swart title to vol.II is a variant not recorded by Wing, although a similar imprint for vol.I (dated 1680) is recorded: cf. Wing 2306-2306C. (2)