van der Aa, P.

Leiden, van der Aa, 1713

(Koeman, Aa 6)

Grand Folio, 56x43 cm

Half vellum and XIX century boards

Letter title page

Engraved title page

Letter title page in red and black

3 nn lvs: dedication, 1 nn leaf: preface, 1nn leaf: index

2 double page folded world maps 50x65 cm

66 and 76 leaves of text in broadsheet (landscape) paper, interleaved with

4 double page continent maps (Europe; Africa; Asia and the Americas) and one double page country map (Italy) plus 88 maps on 44 map sheets covering the whole world but especially the Netherlands and Europe.

Condition: excellent. Strong paper that sounds loudly when moved. A few leaves with waterstain. Two of the mapsheets with two maps each with a smal tear and old restoration. All other maps are fine, deep imprints in strong paper. Apparently (Re) bound in the XIX century, no later work done to it.

Worldatlas. The text embraces a geographical, political and historical description of all the countries and regions of the world. These texts are by Gueudeville (Europe) and Ferrarius (other continents)

The atlas is rare and features sensational geographical engravings not only shown in the engraved title page, the two worldmaps and the maps of the continents and Italy, but also in the small maps that each house a story that concerns the country depicted. Van der Aa was one of the best Dutch engravers of his time and this shows in the details of the maps and the richness of the cartouches. That same richness features in the engraved initials and the vignettes.