The World's First Atlas

Abraham Ortelius came to prominence during the latter part of the sixteenth century in Antwerp. Antwerp, one of the great trading centers of Europe at the time, proved to be fertile ground for the young Ortelius. First schooled by his father, he continued on his own and attained a masterful knowledge of mathematics and the sciences. Ortelius traveled widely and developed an intense interest in cartography. He is known to be among the most important of the early Dutch cartographers and is credited with publishing the first comprehensive world atlas. Known as The Theater of The World this atlas is a cornerstone of any cartographic collection. The world map is one of the most sought after of all world maps.

This 1579 edition is especially desirable. Boasting brilliant original color, all 93 plates are in excellent condition. It was the pivotal publication among a long series of editions published between 1570 and 1624. It alone is comprised of 33 new plates while still containing the first and earliest states of most of the prior plates, including the much coveted world map.