Contemporary hand-colour and noble provenance. The final Latin edition of the greatest atlas of all time in striking contemporary hand-colour.

An attractive copy of the tenth and last Latin edition of the Mercator-Hondius Atlas, famed for its 164 engraved maps, all but one double-page, including a double-hemisphere map of the world and the four continents, and early maps of New Spain, Virginia, and the Caribbean. The most significant geographical work of its kind at the time of publication, with 9 additional maps of Lothian, Savoy, Holland, Utrecht and the Rhine not present in the previous edition of 1623, and the double-portrait of Mercator and Jodocus Hondius engraved by the latter's widow Colleta following her husband's death in 1612.

First published posthumously in 1595, Gerard Mercator's (1512-1594) cosmography was the first work to bear the name Atlas, setting the standard for all to come. Considered the Ptolemy of his time, Mercator is best remembered today for inventing a technique of rendering the globe on a flat surface, which is still known as 'Mercator's projection'. He began work on the Atlas relatively late in life, intending the Atlas to be a comprehensive description of the world in all its aspects, covering creation, the heavens, the world's physical geography, its history, and chronology, but was unable to complete this ambitious project prior to his death.

The completed plates were bought by the Amsterdam engraver Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612) in 1604, and published with 36 newly engraved maps and a new Latin text by Petrus Montanus two years later, taking the total count to 144. As many of the maps were more up-to-date, the Mercator-Hondius atlas effectively superseded Ortelius' Theatrum. Following Hondius' death in 1612, the business was continued by his sons Jodocus Jr. and Henricus, and his son-in-law Johannes Janssonius (d.1664).

With provenance for the Silesian noble House of Schaffgotsch.

Editio decima; folio (47.5 x 33 cm); 164 engraved maps, all but one double-page, engraved double-portrait of Gerard Mercator and Jodocus Hondius, engraved title heightened in gold, 4 engraved divisional titles, and woodcut initials, all in contemporary hand-colour, with occasional details heightened with gum arabic, text in Latin, Anglia IV misprinted as 'V', Hollandia Comitatvs variant [2400:1A], ownership inscription in pen to front free endpaper recto, early paper repair to title affecting engraving and imprint, with gaps in text and a small area of illustration restored in MS to read 'Henrici et Iodoci ab Hon n. D. 1630' rather than 'Henrici Hondii, Amsterodami An. D. 1630' is issued, further repairs to margins of prelims and occasionally thereafter, with larger area of loss to foot of 5R affecting cartouche, light spotting to prelims, paper a little toned; seventeenth-century blind-tooled calf, rebacked with original spine laid down, later spine label, gilt lozenge centrepiece of palmettes and vines within gilt chain roll frame, all edges gilt, slightly rubbed, a very good example.

Van der Krogt 1:107.