ORTELIUS, Abraham, (1527-1598). Theatrum orbis terrarum. Antwerp: Gielis Coppens Diest, 1570. 2° (408 x 275 mm). Engraved allegorical title, 53 engraved double-page maps, most by Frans Hogenberg, a few coloured in outline. (Title soiled with figures inked-out and a repair at bottom margin, some maps with allegorical figures crudely coloured and a few text leaves with erased lines, a6 with clean tear and some other leaves with very tiny marginal tears and stains, several small marginal wormtracks and occasional spotting.) Later quarter vellum, shelf-mark labels on spine (rubbed). Provenance: Pietro Gianuli (ownership inscription 'comprato per tre ducatoni') -- Prov. Veneto Med. S.J. (stamp on title and few other leaves) -- Compagnia del Gesú, Rome (book label and stamp on second leaf).

ORTELIUS, Abraham, (1527-1598). Theatrum orbis terrarum. Antwerp: Gielis Coppens Diest, 1570. 2° (408 x 275 mm). Engraved allegorical title, 53 engraved double-page maps, most by Frans Hogenberg, a few coloured in outline. (Title soiled with figures inked-out and a repair at bottom margin, some maps with allegorical figures crudely coloured and a few text leaves with erased lines, a6 with clean tear and some other leaves with very tiny marginal tears and stains, several small marginal wormtracks and occasional spotting.) Later quarter vellum, shelf-mark labels on spine (rubbed). Provenance: Pietro Gianuli (ownership inscription 'comprato per tre ducatoni') -- Prov. Veneto Med. S.J. (stamp on title and few other leaves) -- Compagnia del Gesú, Rome (book label and stamp on second leaf).

FIRST EDITION, verso of title with Epigramma and 4 lines in Greek by Gerart Falkenburg and 'Catalogus Auctorum' with 94 names. 'The first modern geographical atlas ... The compilation of a general atlas containing maps of uniform size and bound up in a single volume was the result of a suggestion of a friend ... Ortelius, who knew most of the map-makers and map-sellers both in Amsterdam and abroad, gathered together the best available maps of the various countries and had them re-engraved in uniform size' (The World Encompassed, 1350). Koeman III 31:001C, Ort 1A-1D; Phillips 374; Sabin 57693; Shirley 122.