This handsome large map on two joined sheets depicts all of Italy and the adjacent coasts of France and the Balkans. The map includes great detail of cities, roads, and regions, and includes notations with additional information on points of interest. A note adjacent to the title cartouche attributes the cartography of the post roads to Cantelli da Vignola, the geography of the Duke of Modena. A portion of the Mediterranean is filled with three large vignettes depicting Mount Aeolius and dramatic eruptions of the volcanoes Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Etna. The imprints of John Bowles, Thomas Bowles, Philip Overton, and John King appear at top left.

Herman Moll was one of Britain's most prominent cartographers of the first half of the 18th century. He emigrated from Germany and went to work as an engraver for Moses Pitt in 1678. Soon he joined one of London's most interesting social circles, which gathered at Jonathan's Coffee House, and included stock speculators, scientists, archaeologists, authors, pirates, and sea-captains. From these friends, Moll gained a great deal of privileged information that he compiled into his cartographic works. Moll's success and prosperity was due in part to his social connections and political astuteness, and to his distinctive style and quality workmanship. He produced a great number of often-innovative maps, charts, globes, atlases and geographies. His best known works are the large two-sheet maps produced for his World Described, which were also published separately.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) T.MOLL-4b #22.

Condition: B

Backed with linen with moderate soiling along the joint and folds, and a minor amount of the joint at top pulling up from the linen. There is a very small abrasion in an unengraved area west of Rome. A very sturdy example with no tears or separations.