The Queen Mary Atlas
London: The Folio Society, 2005. First Folio Society edition. Hardcover. 2 vol. Elephant Folio; Large 8vo. The elephant folio is unpaginated, the large 8vo has a pagination of [4], v-vii, [4], 4-87, [1] pp. Both volumes housed in a maroon cloth clamshell, lettered in gilt on the front, with a black label lettered in gilt on the spine, with three pieces of tissue laid in the interior. The clamshell measures 24" by 17". Full red calf with black and gilt decorations on the front board, a coat of arms, gilt decorations on the spine of the elephant folio; publisher's maroon cloth with a paper label printed in black on the front board, gold lettering on the spine. Maroon and red-orange endpapers in the elephant folio; purple endpapers and pastedowns in the smaller volume. The elephant folio illustrated with twelve double-page maps all in color; the 8vo illustrated with four double-sided plates of color photographs. Number 506 out of 1000 numbered copies for sale. Nash 1245.5. This is a facsimile reproduction of the Queen Mary Atlas, which was first produced and issued in the mid-sixteenth century. Commissioned by Queen Mary I as a gift for her husband (and cousin) King Philip II, Queen Mary died before the atlas could be given to her husband. Queen Elizabeth I, Mary's rival and successor, was the actual recipient of the atlas. The atlas remains in the British Library, whose cooperation was essential in reproducing both the rectos and versos of the maps in the original atlas. The maps in the elephant folio are bright and colorful, and show different views of all five continents. Please note, this item is quite large and will require extra postage. Fine. Item #000014624
Price: $950.00