(Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps

(Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photography, 31st January 2019) BLAEU, WILLEM - JOAN BLAEU THEATRUM ORBIS TERRARUM, VOLUME 5 COMPRISING SCOTLAND AND IRELAND [Theatre du Monde ou Nouvel Atlas.] Amsterdam: J. Blaeu, 1654. Folio (520 x 343mm.), hand-coloured engraved title (with 5 x 4cm. square cut out of centre), 55 hand-coloured engraved maps, 2 plates at beginning & Moray ("Moravia") with slight browning at centre fold, a few maps very slightly discoloured, contemporary panelled vellum gilt, inscription at head of title "Don de Mr. Rod. Piguet, à Nyon", The Nether Warde of Clyds-dale with library stamp Société du Musée de NyonNote: This atlas comprises volume five of the six-volume French text edition of Blaeu's Theatrum. Each volume of the work was published separately between 1635 and 1655, in several languages. In its era, the Theatrum was considered to be the most comprehensive and accurate atlas produced, with volume 5 being regarded to this day first atlas of Scotland, using many maps developed by the cartographer, Pont. 49 of the maps are of Scotland and 6 depict Ireland. It is unusual to find this volume of the atlas, complete with all 55 maps and 154 pages of accompanying description, in a handsome and contemporary vellum binding.