This two-volume Italian geography book features an elaborate frontispiece map of the world based upon Salvador Lirelli's map, which was published in 1786 for the Royal Academy of Science in Torino. The sheet includes two polar projections and a world map on Mercator's projection, centered on the Pacific. The focus of the maps is Captain Cook's voyages, which are traced throughout along with the dates of each leg of his travels. The south polar hemisphere depicts mountains of ice surrounding the pole, but no landmass is shown. The map on Mercator's projection shows Australia named Nuova Olanda and still connected to Tasmania, although the coastline is beginning to take shape. Engraved by P. Amati and P. Tela. Volume 1 contains 316 pages of text and volume 2 consists of 339 pages. 12mo., hardbound in quarter vellum with tips over marbled boards.

References: cf. Tooley (MCC-2) #79.

Condition: B+

The folding map is very good with light toning, faint offsetting, and some minor creasing adjacent to the folds. Text has scattered foxing. Covers are moderately worn with bumped edges.