Subject: Central Europe, Atlases
Period: 1743 (published)
Publication:
Color: Hand Color
Size:
6.1 x 8.6 inches
15.5 x 21.8 cm
This atlas depicts the theater of war for the War of the Austrian Succession and contains 18 maps of present-day Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Each map is densely engraved with towns, political boundaries, rivers, topography and a decorative title cartouche. This atlas includes a lovely title page that features putti presenting a stack of books to a female figure (possibly Aphrodite holding a mirror). In the background, a ship is filled with women and children, with one of the females apparently using a depth measuring device. The atlas is dedicated to Jean-Frederic Phelypeaux, Count of Maurepas, and features the family coat of arms at bottom right. A previous owner has handwritten in ink a list of maps on the front free-endpapers. Hardbound in quarter vellum with tips over marbled-paper boards.
References:
Condition: B+
The maps are in full contemporary color with light soiling. There are archival repairs to short centerfold separations or minor edge chips and tears on a few of the maps. The title page is moderately toned and soiled with a couple of abrasions along the centerfold at bottom and an archivally repaired tear at bottom. The covers are lightly soiled with bumped corners. The spine is heavily soiled with a couple of chips at top.