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Nicolas Sanson I : L Afrique En Plusieurs Cartes Nouvelles, et Exactes, & en Divers Traicte s de Geographie, et d Histoire

Nicolas Sanson, Paris, c. 1656

Full contemporary calf, expertly rebacked with spine in six compartments of raised bands and finely-gilt motifs, morocco label on two, edges speckled red. , Lower right corner of the first eight leaves strengthened, otherwise a very good copy, maps and text are clean and crisp. In protective cloth slipcase., 4to, P. 1-96., Recent stencilled title. Complete with 18 maps of Africa and its territories, in original outline colour.

This atlas was dedicated to the Superintendent of Finances at the time, Nicolas Fouquet.
Regarding a map of South and Central Africa published the year before (which bears resemblance to this map of South Africa--‘Pays, et Costes des Caffres’--in particular), Norwich writes: “This map, although a fine example of cartography, is based on very little information; for example, the desert-like coast of South West Africa is presented as a land rich in rivers. The fictitious states are given fictitious boundaries and the interior is marked with large cities such as Vigiti Magna and Monomotapa. This information led to subsequent exploration, in search of these fabulous cities. Although the map is dated three years after the foundation of a settlement at the Cape by Jan van Riebeeck, no mention is made of any European settlement anywhere in the south.”, Tooley IV:103; Tooley Africa 100 (Peyrounin edition); Norwich 37 & 158.

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