Details
BLAEU, JOAN. Le Grand Atlas, ou Cosmographie Blaviane, en laquelle est exactement descritte la Terre, la Mer et le Ciel. Amsterdam: Joan Blaeu 1667.
12 vols., atlas folio, 546 x 357 mm. (21 1/2 x 14 1/16 in.), contemporary Dutch vellum over pasteboard, covers gold-panelled with large gilt center and cornerpiece ornaments, smooth spines gilt in 8 compartments, volume numbers gilt-lettered, later red morocco roundels with volume nos. (on spines of vols. 2, 4, 5, 8 only), gilt edges, lacking ties, vol. 1 upper hinge cracked, some wear to extremities, soft creases to most letterpress titles, creasing to 33 maps or plates, approximately 20 short marginal tears to text leaves or mapsheets, a few edges slightly frayed, occasional slight offsetting or showthrough from coloring, a few maps darkened in places from acidic beige or bistre pigment, minor marginal dampstaining to a few leaves, mainly at ends of volumes, occasional slight discoloration to outer margins.
SECOND EDITION IN FRENCH, vols. VI and XI from the First Edition (1663) with title-pages only reset (dated 1667), 12 letterpress titles with woodcut printer's devices, vol. 1 with general letterpress title and engraved allegorical title, 10 engraved architectural titles with letterpress overslips, 597 engraved maps, plans and views (without Koeman nos. 620 and 621, see below), 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 MANY TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS FULLY COLORED BY A CONTEMPORARY HAND, the engraved titles and printer's devices HEIGHTENED WITH GOLD.
Koeman, Atlantes neerlandici I, Bl 58-59, pp. 246-270; Koeman, Joan Blaeu and his Grand Atlas (Amsterdam 1970); Phillips 479.
A FINE, CLEAN COPY OF BLAEU'S MONUMENTAL ATLAS. "The contents of this unprecedented atlas illustrate the high standards of contemporary cartography and geographical knowledge, and its presentation bears witness to the superb craftsmanship of engraver, printer, binder, and papermaker. The production of the vast atlas is a demonstration... of the enterprise of the Amsterdam printers of the time and of the financial and commercial capacity of the House of Blaeu in particular" (Koeman, Joan Blaeu, p. 1). "The French edition, comprising twelve volumes [instead of nine], is literally the most voluminous of all editions. It contains five maps more than the Latin edition and one less than the Dutch. The French edition, moreover, was the only one that went into a second edition..." (ibid., p. 48).
Contents
Vol. I ARCTIC, EUROPE and SCANDINAVIA: 61 maps and plates (Koeman lists only 60, omitting the last map "Aroe insulae delineatio geometrica" [1/2-page]), including the world map (creased along center fold) and 14 plates depicting Uranienborg, the observatory of Tycho Brahe, and his astronomical instruments.
Vol. II NORTHERN AND EASTERN EUROPE: 39 maps and plates, including the plans of Moscow and the Kremlin, without Koeman no. 620 ("Illyrie ou Sclavonie"), issued with the 1663 edition but not called for in the printed index of this volume, and present in only a few copies of the 1667 edition, lacks engraved title and dedication to part 4 "Régions Orientales", not called for in index, small adhesive loss to gutter of Cyclades map (Koeman 492).
Vol. III GERMANY: 96 maps, including 3 large folding plates of the Rhine, the Danube, and Alsace, without Koeman no. 621 ("Frankenlandt"), issued in the 1663 ediiton, but not called for in the printed index to this volume, lacks engraved title, sheet 3R detached (3 leaves, with fol. 3R1+1, including map [57], "Ducatus Brunsvicensis").
Vol. IV BELGIUM and THE NETHERLANDS: 2 engraved titles, 63 maps, minor loss from adhesion to 2 letters of cartouche title of map 6, "Tabula Castelli".
Vol. V ENGLAND: 58 maps, 3 engraved views in text of Stonehenge and Avebury.
Vol. VI SCOTLAND and IRELAND: 55 maps.
Vol. VII FRANCE: 37 maps, fols. 5M1-2 and 5N1 (pp. 413-16) with corners creased and spotted.
Vol. VIII FRANCE and SWITZERLAND: 36 maps, lacking engraved title.
Vol. IX ITALY: 60 maps, a few maps slightly darkened.
Vol. X SPAIN and AFRICA: 41 maps and plates, including 7 plates of views and plans of the Escorial, small hole to letterpress title affecting a letter, traces of adhesion at gutter of pl. 8 (2 views of the Escorial) with slight loss.
Vol. XI ASIA: 2 engraved titles, 28 maps, letterpress title creased and with small hole catching a letter, map 28 slightly adhered at gutter.
Vol. XII: AMERICA: 23 maps, lacks engraved title, traces of removed bookplate on verso of letterpress title, map of America slightly creased at gutter.
Provenance: Chetham's Library, Manchester, bookplates (sale, Christie's London, 26 November 1980, lot 39). (12)
12 vols., atlas folio, 546 x 357 mm. (21 1/2 x 14 1/16 in.), contemporary Dutch vellum over pasteboard, covers gold-panelled with large gilt center and cornerpiece ornaments, smooth spines gilt in 8 compartments, volume numbers gilt-lettered, later red morocco roundels with volume nos. (on spines of vols. 2, 4, 5, 8 only), gilt edges, lacking ties, vol. 1 upper hinge cracked, some wear to extremities, soft creases to most letterpress titles, creasing to 33 maps or plates, approximately 20 short marginal tears to text leaves or mapsheets, a few edges slightly frayed, occasional slight offsetting or showthrough from coloring, a few maps darkened in places from acidic beige or bistre pigment, minor marginal dampstaining to a few leaves, mainly at ends of volumes, occasional slight discoloration to outer margins.
SECOND EDITION IN FRENCH, vols. VI and XI from the First Edition (1663) with title-pages only reset (dated 1667), 12 letterpress titles with woodcut printer's devices, vol. 1 with general letterpress title and engraved allegorical title, 10 engraved architectural titles with letterpress overslips, 597 engraved maps, plans and views (without Koeman nos. 620 and 621, see below), 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 MANY TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS FULLY COLORED BY A CONTEMPORARY HAND, the engraved titles and printer's devices HEIGHTENED WITH GOLD.
Koeman, Atlantes neerlandici I, Bl 58-59, pp. 246-270; Koeman, Joan Blaeu and his Grand Atlas (Amsterdam 1970); Phillips 479.
A FINE, CLEAN COPY OF BLAEU'S MONUMENTAL ATLAS. "The contents of this unprecedented atlas illustrate the high standards of contemporary cartography and geographical knowledge, and its presentation bears witness to the superb craftsmanship of engraver, printer, binder, and papermaker. The production of the vast atlas is a demonstration... of the enterprise of the Amsterdam printers of the time and of the financial and commercial capacity of the House of Blaeu in particular" (Koeman, Joan Blaeu, p. 1). "The French edition, comprising twelve volumes [instead of nine], is literally the most voluminous of all editions. It contains five maps more than the Latin edition and one less than the Dutch. The French edition, moreover, was the only one that went into a second edition..." (ibid., p. 48).
Contents
Vol. I ARCTIC, EUROPE and SCANDINAVIA: 61 maps and plates (Koeman lists only 60, omitting the last map "Aroe insulae delineatio geometrica" [1/2-page]), including the world map (creased along center fold) and 14 plates depicting Uranienborg, the observatory of Tycho Brahe, and his astronomical instruments.
Vol. II NORTHERN AND EASTERN EUROPE: 39 maps and plates, including the plans of Moscow and the Kremlin, without Koeman no. 620 ("Illyrie ou Sclavonie"), issued with the 1663 edition but not called for in the printed index of this volume, and present in only a few copies of the 1667 edition, lacks engraved title and dedication to part 4 "Régions Orientales", not called for in index, small adhesive loss to gutter of Cyclades map (Koeman 492).
Vol. III GERMANY: 96 maps, including 3 large folding plates of the Rhine, the Danube, and Alsace, without Koeman no. 621 ("Frankenlandt"), issued in the 1663 ediiton, but not called for in the printed index to this volume, lacks engraved title, sheet 3R detached (3 leaves, with fol. 3R1+1, including map [57], "Ducatus Brunsvicensis").
Vol. IV BELGIUM and THE NETHERLANDS: 2 engraved titles, 63 maps, minor loss from adhesion to 2 letters of cartouche title of map 6, "Tabula Castelli".
Vol. V ENGLAND: 58 maps, 3 engraved views in text of Stonehenge and Avebury.
Vol. VI SCOTLAND and IRELAND: 55 maps.
Vol. VII FRANCE: 37 maps, fols. 5M1-2 and 5N1 (pp. 413-16) with corners creased and spotted.
Vol. VIII FRANCE and SWITZERLAND: 36 maps, lacking engraved title.
Vol. IX ITALY: 60 maps, a few maps slightly darkened.
Vol. X SPAIN and AFRICA: 41 maps and plates, including 7 plates of views and plans of the Escorial, small hole to letterpress title affecting a letter, traces of adhesion at gutter of pl. 8 (2 views of the Escorial) with slight loss.
Vol. XI ASIA: 2 engraved titles, 28 maps, letterpress title creased and with small hole catching a letter, map 28 slightly adhered at gutter.
Vol. XII: AMERICA: 23 maps, lacks engraved title, traces of removed bookplate on verso of letterpress title, map of America slightly creased at gutter.
Provenance: Chetham's Library, Manchester, bookplates (sale, Christie's London, 26 November 1980, lot 39). (12)