A fine British atlas containing 46 (of 47) maps elegantly drawn and engraved by John Dower (missing only England & Wales). The maps cover the world and show the full extent of the British Empire with consistent coloring throughout the atlas. All the maps are presented with excellent detail including roads, railways and canals. The large, foldout map of India shows a detailed view of the lands controlled by the British East India Company and the settlements of other European powers. The two maps of Australia (Colony of New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land) show the extent of exploration, settlement and mining areas. The map of the Americas features a Fifty-Four Forty or Fight border with the U.S. extending well north into British America. At the back of the atlas are maps of the ancient world including the Empires of Greece, Rome and Persia, and a map of Ancient Palestine that includes an inset of Jerusalem. Hardbound in original quarter calf with tips over green cloth boards.

Henry Teesdale was a prominent London publisher and founding fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He produced large-scale maps and charts and a number of fine atlases in the early part of the nineteenth century. He employed the most skilled draftsmen and engravers and his maps are renowned for precise detail and fine coloring. His maps, and particularly his atlases, are increasingly scarce on the market.

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Condition: B+

The condition code is for the maps which are generally clean and bright with superb original color. The maps range from very good to near fine with some occasional faint to light offsetting, which is more prominent on the title page. The maps of the world and United States have a few minor ink stains, and the Eastern Hemisphere map has an extraneous ink notation circling the region from England to India. A handful of maps at the front of the atlas have short fold separations confined to the bottom blank margin with larger fold separations in Europe (5.5"), Persia (3.5"), Asia (3") and France (1.5"). Spine and covers are heavily worn and chipped with both covers separated from the binding. Given the quality of the internal contents, this atlas would be an excellent candidate for professional rebinding.