Sanson, Nicolas

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 GBP

Sold

21,250 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Cartes generales de toutes les parties du monde. Paris, Chez I'Autheur. . .et Chez Pierre Mariette, 1658
ink on paper

FIRST EDITION, folio (440 x 320mm.), title with woodcut royal arms, manuscript contents list in a contemporary hand bound in at title, printed contents list, 146 double-page engraved maps numbered in ink on verso (contents list calls for 113 maps), also with 3 small maps pasted on verso of double-page maps or inserted, hand-coloured in outline (cartouches with later added hand-colour), later half vellum over speckled boards, minor browning or staining, some tears and repairs including strengthening (particularly on folding maps), a few maps shaved, light wear to binding

Provenance

Baron de Lamotte and Bayard de Ferrieres, ink inscriptions on title; Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, bookplate

Literature

NMM 3, 271; cf. Pastoureau VA 1658; Shirley, British Library T.SAN-2a

Catalogue Note

Sanson's Cartes generales can be considered the first full French world atlas. It was produced in conjunction with Sanson's associate Pierre Mariette, and dates on individual maps show that the contents were progressively engraved from the late 1630s onwards.

The present copy has more maps than is usual, including a long run of ancient geography. Many of the additional maps are by Nolin, Duval, and de Fer (including Nolin's maps of Canada and America).