Amsterdam,1647-1658.
11 folio volumes. 11 engraved titles, 547 double-page engraved maps including 6 folding ones, all hand-colored at the time. Illustrations and wood engravings in the text, some colored.
Uniform publisher’s binding in vellum, covers adorned with gilt roll-stamps, central medallion and corner ornaments, smooth spines with gilt decoration, gilt edges. Contemporary binding.
515 x 325 mm.
Precious copy of the Novus Atlas Absolutissimus.
German edition, the most carefully prepared, hand-colored with gold highlights at the time in its original Dutch vellum binding. Some foxing, maps in beautiful contemporary coloring.
The Novus Atlas Absolutissimus is the most enriched of the editions of the Novus Atlas. Like the Latin and Dutch editions, it consists of eleven volumes, formed from the five original volumes of the Atlas Novus each split into two parts, with additional newly engraved maps published by Nicolas Visscher. This atlas, created by Joannes Janssonius, was produced less regularly than the Atlas Major published by Joan Blaeu. From an editorial standpoint, it is not a cohesive set but rather a composite gathering of several parts of the Novus Atlas.
Known editions have texts in German, Latin, and Dutch, but the most carefully prepared is the present example, with texts in German. It is noteworthy that Joan Blaeu did not publish a German edition of his Atlas Major series.
These atlases were probably published in a very small number of copies and then only made to order. This might explain the typographical differences and title variations from one copy to another. Once the typographic titles were exhausted, the copies made to order have titles recomposed from words and sometimes even syllables and letters cut from other works. The variations in Janssonius’s maps from one copy to another are relatively consistent and easily identifiable; regarding Visscher’s maps, these variations are more numerous, allowing for more precise dating of the copies.
The only other comparable copy sold at auction in the past 30 years is the Wardington copy of the Atlas Maior (Sotheby’s, 18/10/2005, lot 210).
The copy presented here follows the collation given by van der Krogt.
Koeman II Me 182; Van der Krogt 1:428, I-X and 2:206:6, X1.
Koeman Me 182; van der Krogt 1:482. “The Novus Atlas Absolutissimus is the most developed of the editions of the Novus Atlas… The atlas comprises eleven volumes, formed… by splitting the five volumes of the Atlas Novus and by supplementing with a number of newly-engraved maps and with maps published by Nic. Visscher. Contrary to the Latin and Dutch atlases Janssonius printed new letterpress titles and new indexes for the German edition… The atlases were probably made up in a very small number of copies and later obviously only made to order.” (Koeman).
Volume I: Eastern and Northern Europe. 1652. Engraved title [Novus Atlas… 1658], 47 maps of which 24 were added to this edition by Visscher, De Wit, JJ, and HJJ. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume II: Germany. Engraved title. 92 maps of which 17 were added to this edition 5 by Visscher (Germany, Pomerania, Brandenburg, Rhine, Alsace, and Hungary). Collation identical to van der Krogt with an additional text leaf.
Volume III: The United Provinces. Engraved title. 67 maps of which 26 were added to this edition. All by Visscher. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume IV: France. Engraved title. 72 maps of which 4 maps of France were added to this edition; one by Visscher. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume V: Italy and Greece. Engraved title. 63 maps of which 4 were added to this edition. 2 by Visscher (Italy, Greece). Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume VI: Spain. Engraved title, 74 maps of which 24 were added to the edition. Collation identical to Van der Krogt.
Volume VII: Southern England. 1647. Engraved title. 36 maps. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume VIII: Northern England, Scotland, and Ireland. 1652. Engraved title. 26 maps of which 6 were added to this edition. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume IX: Seas and Oceans. 1657. Engraved title. 39 maps of which 16 were added for this edition, 7 by Visscher (Antilles, Martinique, New England, East Indies, Sicily, Malta, Crete). Collation identical to Van der Krogt.
Volume X: Historical Atlas. Engraved title 13 maps of which 3 were added to this edition. Collation identical to van der Krogt.
Volume XI: Celestial Atlas.
