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Atlas from a Private Swiss Collection
LE NEPTUNE FRANÇOIS
Le Neptune François, ou Atlas Nouveau des Cartes Marines. Levées et Gravées par ordre exprès du Roy. Pour l'usage de ses armées de mer. Paris: Hubert Jaillot, 1693 [but Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, c.1703].
Details
LE NEPTUNE FRANÇOIS
Le Neptune François, ou Atlas Nouveau des Cartes Marines. Levées et Gravées par ordre exprès du Roy. Pour l'usage de ses armées de mer. Paris: Hubert Jaillot, 1693 [but Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, c.1703].
A triumph of Dutch 17th-century map publishing (and piracy), this is one of the most beautiful of all maritime atlases, with the charts coloured by a contemporary hand. ‘The Neptune François in two parts and its third part Cartes Marines… was the most expensive sea-atlas ever published in Amsterdam in the 17th century. Its charts are larger and more lavishly decorated than those of any preceding book of its kind... This magnificent work was intended more as a show-piece than something to be used by the pilots at sea’ (Koeman).
The Neptune françois was counterfeited by Pieter Mortier of Amsterdam who had all the plates from the French first edition very precisely re-engraved. The second part was not based on a French prototype but on manuscript charts engraved by Romein de Hooghe, at that time in the service of William III of England. Although it only contains nine large charts, ‘this small number represents the most spectacular type of maritime cartography ever produced in 17th century Amsterdam’ [Koeman IV, Mor 5].
The third part, Suite du Neptune François, contains 10 maps of the Americas, including: ‘Carte Nouvelle de l'Amerique Angloise Contenant La Virginie, Mary-Land, Caroline, Pensilvania Nouvel Iorck, N. Iarsey’; ‘Carte Particuliere de Virginie, Maryland, Pennsilvanie, la Nouvelle Jersey’; ‘Carte Particuliere de la Caroline' and 'Mer du Sud ou Pacifique, Contenant l'Isle de Californe, les Costes de Mexique, du Perou, Chili et le Destroit de Magellanique’. Koeman IV, pp.425-428 M. Mor 1, M.Mor-5, M. Mor 7; Pastoureau p.354 NF Ba and world map from Bb; Phillips, Atlases 517; Shirley BL II, M.Nep-1a (incomplete copy).
3 parts in one volume, folio (623 x 490mm). [Comprising:] Part 1: Le Neptune François... Engraved frontispiece by Jan van Vianen after P. La Pautre and J. Berrin, title in red and black with ship vignette, 3ll. of text in French, plate of comparative nautical scales in Dutch, French and English, 29 hand-coloured double-page charts of northern and western Europe (each without imprint); bound here before the charts is Koeman’s M. Mor 8, comprising: 19 plates of ships (only 18 called for by Koeman), 12 plates of flags, and general world map on Mercator’s projection (Shirley 599, with Witsen’s name in the title) that Koeman attributes to M. Mor 2 published c.1703 (chart 26 with 40mm marginal tear into image, light browning and colour show-through throughout with one plate of ships more heavily browned, a few charts with edges fraying at extremities). Koeman M. Mor 1.
Part 2: Cartes Marines à l'Usage des Armées du Roy de la Grande Bretagne... gravées et recueillies par le Sr. Romain de Hooghe. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1693. Title printed in red and black with engraved vignette, 9 hand-coloured engraved charts by Romeyn de Hooghe, all but 3 double-page, one of which folding, comprising 8 of the French and English Channel coasts dated 1693 and a large folding chart of the Mediterranean dated 1694, incorporating finely detailed insets showing ports and harbours (without engraved ‘Atlas Maritime’ allegorical title, a few charts trimmed close just into borders, some light browning and colour show-through throughout with chart 7 more heavily affected). Koeman M. Mor. 5: ‘The most spectacular type of maritime cartography ever produced in 17th century Amsterdam’.
Part 3: Suite du Neptune François. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1700. Engraved ‘Atlas Maritime’ allegorical title dated 1693 hand-coloured and heightened with gold with ‘Tom 2’ in ink manuscript between title and poem, hand-coloured engraved compass of the winds, 33 hand-coloured engraved charts all but 11 double-page, some folding (5th chart creased with some abrasion and loss of colour, 27th chart of the Gulf of Mexico lightly creased, light browning and colour show-through throughout). Koeman M. Mor. 7 (‘this is the very important part of the Neptune François’).
Contemporary calf, covers panelled in gilt and blind enclosing a central gilt wreath (worn, rebacked and repaired). Provenance: German inscription in front free endpaper – Bryant (inscription on first title).
Le Neptune François, ou Atlas Nouveau des Cartes Marines. Levées et Gravées par ordre exprès du Roy. Pour l'usage de ses armées de mer. Paris: Hubert Jaillot, 1693 [but Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, c.1703].
A triumph of Dutch 17th-century map publishing (and piracy), this is one of the most beautiful of all maritime atlases, with the charts coloured by a contemporary hand. ‘The Neptune François in two parts and its third part Cartes Marines… was the most expensive sea-atlas ever published in Amsterdam in the 17th century. Its charts are larger and more lavishly decorated than those of any preceding book of its kind... This magnificent work was intended more as a show-piece than something to be used by the pilots at sea’ (Koeman).
The Neptune françois was counterfeited by Pieter Mortier of Amsterdam who had all the plates from the French first edition very precisely re-engraved. The second part was not based on a French prototype but on manuscript charts engraved by Romein de Hooghe, at that time in the service of William III of England. Although it only contains nine large charts, ‘this small number represents the most spectacular type of maritime cartography ever produced in 17th century Amsterdam’ [Koeman IV, Mor 5].
The third part, Suite du Neptune François, contains 10 maps of the Americas, including: ‘Carte Nouvelle de l'Amerique Angloise Contenant La Virginie, Mary-Land, Caroline, Pensilvania Nouvel Iorck, N. Iarsey’; ‘Carte Particuliere de Virginie, Maryland, Pennsilvanie, la Nouvelle Jersey’; ‘Carte Particuliere de la Caroline' and 'Mer du Sud ou Pacifique, Contenant l'Isle de Californe, les Costes de Mexique, du Perou, Chili et le Destroit de Magellanique’. Koeman IV, pp.425-428 M. Mor 1, M.Mor-5, M. Mor 7; Pastoureau p.354 NF Ba and world map from Bb; Phillips, Atlases 517; Shirley BL II, M.Nep-1a (incomplete copy).
3 parts in one volume, folio (623 x 490mm). [Comprising:] Part 1: Le Neptune François... Engraved frontispiece by Jan van Vianen after P. La Pautre and J. Berrin, title in red and black with ship vignette, 3ll. of text in French, plate of comparative nautical scales in Dutch, French and English, 29 hand-coloured double-page charts of northern and western Europe (each without imprint); bound here before the charts is Koeman’s M. Mor 8, comprising: 19 plates of ships (only 18 called for by Koeman), 12 plates of flags, and general world map on Mercator’s projection (Shirley 599, with Witsen’s name in the title) that Koeman attributes to M. Mor 2 published c.1703 (chart 26 with 40mm marginal tear into image, light browning and colour show-through throughout with one plate of ships more heavily browned, a few charts with edges fraying at extremities). Koeman M. Mor 1.
Part 2: Cartes Marines à l'Usage des Armées du Roy de la Grande Bretagne... gravées et recueillies par le Sr. Romain de Hooghe. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1693. Title printed in red and black with engraved vignette, 9 hand-coloured engraved charts by Romeyn de Hooghe, all but 3 double-page, one of which folding, comprising 8 of the French and English Channel coasts dated 1693 and a large folding chart of the Mediterranean dated 1694, incorporating finely detailed insets showing ports and harbours (without engraved ‘Atlas Maritime’ allegorical title, a few charts trimmed close just into borders, some light browning and colour show-through throughout with chart 7 more heavily affected). Koeman M. Mor. 5: ‘The most spectacular type of maritime cartography ever produced in 17th century Amsterdam’.
Part 3: Suite du Neptune François. Amsterdam: Pieter Mortier, 1700. Engraved ‘Atlas Maritime’ allegorical title dated 1693 hand-coloured and heightened with gold with ‘Tom 2’ in ink manuscript between title and poem, hand-coloured engraved compass of the winds, 33 hand-coloured engraved charts all but 11 double-page, some folding (5th chart creased with some abrasion and loss of colour, 27th chart of the Gulf of Mexico lightly creased, light browning and colour show-through throughout). Koeman M. Mor. 7 (‘this is the very important part of the Neptune François’).
Contemporary calf, covers panelled in gilt and blind enclosing a central gilt wreath (worn, rebacked and repaired). Provenance: German inscription in front free endpaper – Bryant (inscription on first title).
Brought to you by
Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts