Beschreibung:

DIRECCIÓN DE HIDROGRAFÍA. [Composite atlas of Spanish charts relating to the Americas, Asia, and Australasia.] Madrid: 1780-1870]. Extremely rare collection of charts made for the Spanish Hydrographic Office, including the magnificent four-sheet maps ‘Carta esférica globo terraqueo’ (world), ‘Carta general del Oceano Atlantico Setentrional’ (North Atlantic), and ‘Carta esférica del Oceano Indio’ (Indian Ocean). There is also the rare two-sheet map ‘Carta general del Archipielago Filipino’ (Philippines), the three-sheet ‘Carta esférica del Estrecho de Torres’ (northern Australia and Papua New Guinea), and the two-sheet ‘Carta esférica … la costa n.e. de America’ (north-eastern America). The third volume is dedicated to charts of South America. The Depósito Hidrográfico (Hydrographic Depot) was instituted in 1797, under the direction of Dirección De Hidrografía (Hydrographic Office), and was responsible for the creation of the Atlas marítimo de España (see Shirley BL M.TOF-1a, NMM III, 475). The present 3 volumes are an assemblage of Spanish maps that were sometime placed in a larger set, possibly for an institutional purpose. Cf. NMM III, 476 (26 maps only). 3 volumes, large folio (675 x 515mm). 63 engraved maps and charts, of which 56 double-page and 6 single-page, after Esteban Desbuissons, Carlos Leclercq, Pedro Bacot, Juan Noguera and others, blindstamps of the Dirección de Hidrografía in the margins or just in blank areas of the charts, final map with some grey wash applied by hand, 34 charts with lighthouses depicted by yellow and red hand-colouring (‘Carta esférica del Oceano Pacifico’ numbered I-III and V-VI, without chart IV, insignificant dust-soiling and offsetting to just a few maps). Contemporary half leather, the bindings sometime painted leaving the titled areas untouched (one vol. numbered ‘VI’ on spine, extremities rubbed).