Beschreibung:

ORTELIUS, Abraham (1527-1598). Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Antwerp: Aegidius Coppenius the Younger of Diesth, 1570. 2° Latin text, engraved architectural title, 53 double-page engraved maps, touches of old colour to title and title panel of Britain map. (Small hole in image of world map, Flandria shaved just affecting image area, occasional small repaired tears to folds of maps and blank margins). FIRST EDITION. Koeman III Ort 1C or 1D. (A variant between 1C and 1D with the epigram on verso of title longer than 4 lines, 92 names in the Catalogus Auctorum .) [ Bound with :] Georg BRAUN & Frans HOGENBERG. Civitates Orbis Terrarum Antwerp: Philippe Galle, and Cologne, the authors, 1572. 2°, Part I only. Engraved architectural title and 58 double-page engraved town views, some in early states, plates numbered 1-58 in a contemporary manuscript hand. Index leaf. (View of Rotenburg shaved at lower margin, a few light stains). Cf. Koeman, B & H I. The two works bound in one volume, (392 x 282mm). 17th century English speckled calf, clasps (corners, head and foot of spine and joints neatly repaired, one clasp a replacement). Provenance : Numerous early marginal notes in Italian, English and Latin. THE RARE ISSUE COMBINING THE FIRST EDITIONS OF ORTELIUS AND BRAUN AND HOGENBERG, both of which were more commonly issued separately. Only two other such sets have been on the market in the last 20 years (cf. Israel and Asher catalogues). This copy is a variant issue of the first edition of the Ortelius with the first edition of the first part of Braun and Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum , the second work with several plates in proof state. The View of Ingolstadt is left blank; one medallion on the Constantinople view is left blank and the map of Granada is paired with Barcelona, whereas usually Granada is a separate view. It is interesting to note the cooperation between Ortelius and other map publishers to the mutual benefit of both parties. (2)