Wytfliet, Cornelius | The first atlas of America, Wytfliet, Cornelius | The first atlas of America

Property of Pine Tree Foundation of New York

Wytfliet, Cornelius
Histoire universelle des Indes occidentales. Douai: François Fabri, 1607

3 parts in one volume, folio (299 x 197 mm). 3 engraved historiated architectonic title-pages, 20 engraved maps (most full-sheet); browning to text, some staining, dampstaining and discoloration at end, text leaves I4 and K4 imperfect, single unobtrusive wormhole running the length of the text at lower fore-edge quadrant occasionally touching a letter or rule. Late seventeenth-century calf, spine gilt in six compartments, red-speckled edges.

Second French edition of the first atlas of America, expanded to include Giovanni Magini's description of the Far East, along with miniature maps of Japan, India, China and the Philippines together on one double-page sheet. The third part, also by Magini, is a relation of the Jesuit missions and their attempts to convert the indigenous peoples to Christianity.

REFERENCE
European Americana 607/100; Borba de Moraes 2:381; Phillips, Atlases 1143; Sabin 105700

PROVENANCE:
Otto Orren Fisher (bookplate) — Pine Tree Foundation of New York (From the late 1960s until his death in 2009, Charles J. Tanenbaum was an enthusiastic collector of 18th-century American books and maps. He not only enjoyed these himself, but took special delight in sharing his knowledge about them with others, especially young people. At the end of his life, he created the Pine Tree Foundation, with the mission to support “bookish” projects with grants of varying amounts. The Foundation started operations in 2010, and since then has begun or contributed to a wide range of book-related initiatives. It supports pre-school and after-school literacy programs for K-12 students and has enabled the purchase of books for elementary-school libraries in underprivileged urban areas. It has also endowed several undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate fellowships, including one for book conservation and several for the study of bibliography. Our hope is that the three items for auction today will find special homes. All proceeds from their sale will be added to the Foundation’s endowment in order to keep alive Mr. Tanenbaum’s dream of spreading the love of books and knowledge to readers of all ages.)

Condition Report:
Condition as described in catalogue entry.