Antoine Pherotée de la Croix - Geographia Universalis, Allgemeine Welt-Beschreibung - 1697

Rare first German edition of La Croix's universal geography, two volumes in contemporary vellum, with 4 frontispieces, 17 folding maps and 55 engraved plates (Leipzig, 1697).
First German edition, translated by Hieronymus Dicelius. Two volumes, each divided into two books (I: astronomy & the sphere; II: Europe; III: France; IV: the rest of the world, incl. the Americas), each with its own title page and frontispiece. Contemporary vellum with Spanish edges. 4 frontispieces, 17 folding maps, and 55 engraved plates (2 folding). Contains substantial Americana, including William Penn's "Eine Nachricht wegen der Landschafft Pennsilvania". Approx. 6¼ × 8¼ in. Medium: two volumes with 67 engravings & 4 frontispieces.
The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. There is minimal staining, quite excellent condition for age. Volume one has two tiny wormholes at the outer joints. There is some light browning or offset to the plates. The endpapers exhibit some minor worm traces primarily to the inner gutter. There may be a few minor marks or imperfections to be expected with age.
This fascinating two volume work is Antoine Pherotée de la Croix's Geographia Universalis. This is the German edition fully titled Allgemeine Welt-Beschreibung nach neuer Art und Weise ... Darinnen ersichtlich von der natürlich-himmlischen und künstlichen nachgemachten Sphaera, Erd- und Himmelskugeln ... hernach die Theile der Welt, wie solche in ihre Käyserthümer, Königreiche unterschieden ... beschrieben. Übersetzet u. vermehret, samt einer neuen Vorrede hrsg. von H. Dicelius. This is the rare first German edition published in Leipzig in 1697 by Johann Ludwig Gleditsch. Hieronymus Dicelius translated the work into German. The work is bound in contemporary vellum with Spanish edges. There are 4 frontispieces, 17 folding maps, and 55 (two folding) engraved plates. The two volumes are further split into two books each, covering different subjects. The first covers astronomy, the second predominantly Europe, the third portion focuses on La Croix's native country of France, and the fourth covers the rest of the world including the Americas. Each book is given its own title page and frontispiece. "Contains substantial material on America, along with a special index of East and West Indian topics. Includes W. Penn's Eine Nachricht wegen der Landschafft Pennsilvania" (A.-L.). Subject matters in engravings include maps and native people and culture. Book one includes in-text engravings depicting astronomy. There are many charts and lists of people and places throughout the complete work. Antoine Pherotée de la Croix (1640-1715) was a French scholar and writer. He published several works in his lifetime and was devoted to teaching history, geography, and mathematics.
Notable for its substantial American content and a dedicated index of East and West Indian topics. Antoine Pherotée de la Croix (1640–1715) was a French scholar and writer devoted to teaching history, geography and mathematics.
VD17 39:129348H (four parts, Leipzig, Gleditsch and Weidmann's heirs, 1697). Full title: Geographia Universalis OR Allgemeine Welt-Beschreibung nach neuer Art und Weise ... Darinnen ersichtlich von der natürlich-himmlischen und künstlichen nachgemachten Sphaera, Erd- und Himmelskugeln ... hernach die Theile der Welt, wie solche in ihre Käyserthümer, Königreiche unterschieden ... beschrieben. Übersetzet u. vermehret, samt einer neuen Vorrede hrsg. von H. Dicelius.