[Netherlands & Belgium] Joan Blaeu. Atlas Maior

Belgique Royale, que est le IX livre de L'Éurope (and) Belgique Confederee qui est le X. livre de l.Europe. Here vol. IV (= IXth and Xth part of Europe) of the large XII-vol. Blaeu atlas. French edition, 1667. Incl. 2 title pages and 63 maps, all in contemporary full colouring; with alphabetical index of all maps.

Large folio in original publisher's binding with overlapping gilt-stamped vellum on spine, casings with embroidery and floral ornaments, also gilt-stamped, gilt page edges. 193,VII,106 pp. and index. Title page: Belgique Royale qui est le IX Livre de l'Europe. (1) Pays-Bas. (2) Duché de Brabant. (3) Louvain. (4) Bruxelles. (5) Anvers. (6) Santflite. (7) Duché de Limbourg. (8) Duché de Lutzenbourg. (9) Comté de Flandre. (10) Gand. (11) Chastelenie de Gand. (12) Chastelenie d'Aldenarde. (13) Evesché de Bruges. (14) Le Franconat. (15) Evesché d'Ypre. (16) Chastelenie d'Ypre. (17) Chastelenie de Courtray. (18) Flandre Teutonique. (19) Chastelenie de Cassele. (20) Chastelenie de Furne. (21) Chastelenie de Bergue. (22) La Flandre Imperiale. (23) Bornhem Baronie. (24) Comté d'Alost. (25) Les Quatre Ambachts. (26) Wasie. (27) Domaine de Laleve. (28) La Flandre Gallicane. (29) Artois. (30) Hainault. (31) Namur. (32) Malines. (33) Roermonde. (34) Fossé de S. Marie. (35) Cambray. Title page: Belgique Confederée qui est le X. Livre de l, Europe. (36) La Belgique Confederée. (37) Duché de Gueldre. (38) Tetrarchie de Nimegue. (39) Comté de Zutphen. (40) Velavie. (41) Batavie. (42) Comté d'Hollande. (43) La Hollande Australe. (44) Delflande. (45) Rhinlande. (46) West-Frise. (47) La Zipe. (48) Le Beemster. (49) Scher-Meer. (50) Purmer. (51) Het Koegras. (52) Bergue. (53) Comté de Zelande. (54) Walachrie. (55) Zelande Orient. (56) Zelande Beoosterscheld. (57) Domaine d'Utrecht. (58) La Frise Occ. (59) Transisalanie. (60) Domaine de Groningue. (61) La Drente. (62) Bois-Le-Duc. (63) Bergue sur Zoom. Var. leaves browned and/or foxed, some maps with extra fold, one map with small hole outside the image. Binding ties mostly present. Maps mostly in wonderful colouring. The Atlas Maior is the last version of the Blaeu atlases, published between 1662 and 1672 (the year of the great fire in the Blaeu printing press behind the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam). The French edition in 12 vols., the Latin in 11 vols., the German in 10 vols., and the Spanish and Dutch editions in 9 vols. Blaeu's intention had been to publish a full atlas with terrestial, nautical and celestial maps. The fire ruined this ambitious project.