Atlas Geographus: or, a Compleat System of Geography, ancient and modern. containing what is of most use in Bleau, Varenius, Cellarius, Cluverius, Baudrand, Brietius, Sanson, &c. with the discoveries and improvements of the best modern authors to this time. illustrated with about 100 new maps, done from the latest observations, by Herman Moll, geographer. ...

Quarto (220 x 165 mm); five volumes. Vol. I: eighteen map-sheets (of twentyone) and six plates; vol. II: twenty-two (of twenty-three) maps and two plates; vol. III: fifteen (of sixteen) maps and two plates; vol. IV: eleven (of twelve) maps; vol. V: twenty (of twenty-one) map sheets. Contemporary calf, panelled in blind, red morocco label to vol. IV (other labels missing). Spines worn. London : John Nutt [for John Nicholson],

The Atlas Geographus was an important English world geography, issued as a partwork between 1708 and 1717, and then assembled in five volumes, dated from 1711 to 1717: Europe in two volumes; volume III Asia, IV Africa and V Americas. While authorship is generally attributed to Herman Moll, he was probably only responsible for supplying the new maps required.

 

Part 1 was advertised on 18th June, 1708 as ‘This Day is Publish’d ...’; subsequent parts, priced 1s., were promised monthly, but the final part was only advertised on 2nd March, 1717.

 

Compared with Shirley’s collation, this set lacks 4 (World), 5 (Europe), 36 (Spain and Portugal), 72 (Africa) and 82 (New Guinea). 63 is replaced by Moll’s map of Persia and 79 by Moll’s map of Guinea. There are additional maps of ‘Aegyptus and Cyrene’, ‘Mauritania …’ and the ‘Sea Coast from Streights of Magellan …’. The complete set is particularly rare, and even individual volumes are very scarce.

 

Reference: Shirley, T.Moll-3a: calling for 100 sheets (numbered to 101, but 86 omitted), the collation differing (as is not uncommon).

Stock Code: 223545