VANDERMAELEN. Atlas universel de géographie physique

VANDERMAELEN, Philippe. Atlas universel de géographie physique, politique, statistique et minéralogique sur l'échelle de 1 : 1641836, ou d'une ligne par 1900 toises. Dresse par Ph. Vandermaelen D'après le meilleures cartes, observations astronomiques et voyages dans les divers pays de la terre; litographe par H. Ode ... Première [-sixième] partie
Bruxelles: [P. Vandermaelen], 1827

7 vols: Atlas, 6 volumes large oblong folio 705x520 mm. Statistique de l’Europe [Statistical tables], 1 Vol. folio, 538x360 mm. Contemporary green straight-grain morocco, gilt ornaments on the spines, covers in marbled boards. Title and half-title in each volume of the Atlas, recto and verso of the first leaf in plano.
With 7 litho index maps, 1 chart of altitudes of mountains & 382 double-page litho maps lithographed maps, hand-colored in outline or in part.
Work as follows:
- Statistique de l’Europe, D’après Hassel, 1 leaf with title-page, pages 43, including dedication, [1];
- Vol 1 Europe: 1 leaf, 1 litho index map, one map of comparative altitudes of mountains, 29 maps numbered 1-27, including 1bis and 1ter;
- Vol 2 Asia: 1 leaf, 1 litho index map, 111 maps numbered 1-110, including 103bis;
- Vol 3 Africa: 1 leaf, 1 litho index map, 60 maps numbered 1-57, including 1bis, 5bis and 18bis;
- Vol 4 North America: 1 leaf, 2 litho index maps, 77 maps numbered 1-76, including 57bis;
- Vol 5 South America: 1 leaf, 1 litho index map, 44 maps numbered 1-43, including 4bis;
- Vol 6 Oceania: 1 leaf, 1 litho index map, 60 maps numbered 1-60.
Some foxing and brownings on title-pages, to text leaves, somewhat soiled, minor marginal foxing, good specimen.
Condition Report: THE FIRST LITHOGRAPHED ATLAS IN FIRST EDITION. This monumental work was the first atlas of the world with all maps on the same scale (and a large scale at that - about one inch to 26 miles) and the first lithographed world atlas. The maps were published originally in parts of ten maps each, beginning in 1825 and ending in 1827. All the maps are on the scale 1:1.641.836, constructed on the modified conical projection by Sanson-Flamsteed. Joined together, they form a globe with a diameter of 7.75 meter, which was built indeed in the Etablissement Géographique in Brussels. Vandermaelen, a renowned Belgian cartographer, who is known for his many detailed maps of Brussels, built one example of the monumental globe that the maps in these volumes were designed to create. It required the building of a custom-made room, within Vandermaelen's own spacious Geographical Institute, and measured more than 23 feet in diameter. As such it remains the largest image of the earth's surface available to a 19th century audience. As a result of its large size, and uniform scale this atlas is very important for its large scale depiction of newly discovered and developed areas, including the American West, the Far East and Australia. The lithography was carried out by Henri Ode, who applied a new technique, especially designed for the Atlas Universel. The Atlas Universel was dedicated to King Willem I of the Netherlands, at that time comprising both Belgium and Holland. A number of maps have been lithographed by Philippe vander Maelen himself.