* BLAKE, John Lauris (1788-1857). A Geographical, Chronological and Historical Atlas, On a New and Improved plan; or, A View of the Present State of all the Empires, Kingdoms, States, and Colonies in the Known World. New York: Cooke and Co., 1820.

Small 4to (229 x 164 mm). Engraved folding double-page double-hemispheric world map, 17 letterpress tables (7 hand-colored), illustrations. (Some browning, a few pale stains.) Contemporary half roan, marbled boards (overall wear). FIRST EDITION, "derived from Malte Brun, Le Sage, and others." SCARCE: according to American Book Prices Current, no copy of the 1820 edition has appeared at auction in 45 years, and only three copies of the 1826 edition (often called the "first edition") have sold. Phillips 747 (1826 edition); Rumsey 2909 (1826 edition).

Provenance: D. H. Watson (early signature dated 1836); John M. Pierce (early signature dated Jan. 20th 1861, "near Jedds Knox County Missouri").