Matthaeus Seutter | Atlas novus sive tabulae geographicae, totius orbis... [Augsburg, c.1732-1741], contemporary hand-coloured maps

Matthaeus Seutter

Atlas novus sive tabulae geographicae, totius orbis faciem, partes, imperia regna et provincias exhibentes... [Augsburg, c.1732-1741]

Folio (542 x 342mm.), hand-coloured engraved allegorical title, 250 double-page hand-coloured engraved maps, 4 double-page hand-coloured engraved tables, 2 double-page hand-coloured engraved diagrams of military fortifications, 2 page manuscript index in an eighteenth century hand to preliminary blanks, each map numbered in ink on verso, contemporary calf, covers with contemporary blind-tooling, spine with raised bands in seven compartments, front free endpaper, engraved title, and first map neatly restored at margins (not affecting text or illustrations), some maps reinforced to versos of inner margins, small stain to text of engraved title and some other areas of dampstaining (mostly marginal), professionally rebacked and recornered, retaining much of original spine

An unusually comprehensive example of a world atlas by one of the most important map publishers in eighteenth century Germany, with maps finely hand-coloured in a contemporary hand, INCLUDING DOUBLE-HEMISPHERE MAPS OF THE WORLD AND THE HEAVENS, NINE MAPS OF THE AMERICAS, MAPS OF THE CONTINENTS, ALL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, HOLY LAND, NEAR EAST, SOUTH EAST ASIA, AND MANY ISLANDS. The double-hemisphere map of the world depicts California as an island, with Japan shown in a peculiar shape (incorporating the fictional Terra Yedso). The final map is of the fictional "Schlarraffenland" (Fool's Paradise), divided into regions satirising man's primary vices.

The present copy is more comprehensive than any other copy of Seutter's Atlas novus recorded on Rare Book Hub. The nearest comparable example in terms of numbers of maps was a copy sold in 2017, featuring 239 hand-coloured maps (including 4 of the Americas).

Only one map (of Italy) is dated (1734), but "in 1731/32, Seutter was honoured by the German emperor Karl VI, receiving the title of imperial geographer, and in 1741 he obtained a printing privilege for his maps", such that "after 1732/32, he described himself on the maps as imperial geographer", and "from 1741 he also added Cum Gratia et Prigilegio S.R.I. Vicariatus in partibus Rheni, Franconici et Sueviae Iuris" (Ritter). Therefore, approximately 83 of the maps/tables/diagrams in the present copy can be dated between 1732 and 1741, with 171 produced after 1741.

PROVENANCE:

acquired in 1796 by Antonio de Torrente, former mayor of the town of Sion (Canton Valais), Switzerland, with manuscript note on verso of front free endpaper: "ex suppellectili librorum | Antonij de Torrente | ante hac Sindici | anno 1796", ownership inscription at upper margin of engraved title: "Hic atlas attinet ad me Antonio De Torrente | olim Sindicum [?] | 1796", and 2 page manuscript index of maps plausibly also in his hand

LITERATURE:

cf. Philips 583 (copy dated c.1734, listing only 4 maps relating to America); Michael Ritter, "Seutter, Probst and Lotter: an Eighteenth-Century Map Publishing House", Imago Mundi, vol.53 (2001), pp. 130-135