RARE 1821 William Robertson - Historical Disquisition on India 2 LARGE Fold-out Maps by Tardieu - Contemporary Marbled Leather 1821 FIRST UK EDITION - COMPLETE WITH ALL 2 MAPS William Robertson, D.D. - An Historical Disquisition concerning the Knowledge which the Ancients had of India, and the Progress of Trade with that Country prior to the Discovery of the Cape of Good Hope. London: Printed for George Ramsay & Co. Edinburgh; and T. Cadell & W. Davies, London, 1821. First UK edition, complete and unabridged. This copy includes all 2 large folding engraved maps "Carte de la Partie Sud-Est de l'Asie suivant Ptolomée, suivant les recherches historiques de Robertson" - beautifully engraved by Ambroise Tardieu, one of the finest French cartographers of the era. Maps unfold to show ancient India, Arabia, Persia as known to Ptolemy. No tears, no losses, complete. Stunning original contemporary full leather binding with spectacular marbled boards in deep blue and red tones - each cover is unique, like a fingerprint. Spine with 5 raised bands and gilt tooling. A true 200-year-old bookbinder's art piece. Robertson's landmark work that changed how Europe understood ancient trade routes and Indian history. Complete with Table des Matières, Appendix, and Notes de l'Appendix ending with "FIN DE L'APPENDIX". 457 pages + Appendix on laid paper with honest age toning. Honest wear for 204 years old. Binding rubbed at edges/corners but joints tight and solid. Maps with fold lines only, as expected. No missing pages, no modern repairs. A solid, collectible copy of a rare work. Ex-libris and old annotations inside - this book has history. For collectors of: Early cartography, Asian history, Enlightenment scholarship, Napoleonic era books.