Latium, Italy.

Mercator Gerhard, Hondius Jodicus. Latium. "Latium nunc Campagna di Roma." Amsterdam, " Exusum in aedibus Jodici Hondij veneunt etiam apud Corneliu Nicolai. item apud Joannem Janssoniu Arnhemi." 1607
Copper engraved map of Latiumor the Campagna of Rome from the first edition of Gerhard Mercator's "Atlas Minor". Latin text to verso. Dark impression; old ink number to upper margin just touching plate; upper margin slightly short (5-8mm); damp stain to lower blank margin; tiny worm hole to centre of map and 2 tiny pinprick worm holes to upper blank margin; upper margin slightly short; wormhole to left blank margin (2mm) far from image.

Jodicus Hondius published the first "Atlas Minor" in 1607 in response to the idea that there was a market for smaller, handier and cheaper Atlases to make the maps of Mercator available to a wider public; he probably engraved the maps himself.
The early editions were printed by Hondius and jointly sold by Corn. Claes and Joh. Janssonius, who probably supplied and owned the letterpress.
With Hondius death in 1612 the further editions were published still under his name by his widow and heirs until 1621 when the plates were sold to a London editor.
Koeman: Me186. 149 by 183mm (5¾ by 7¼ inches).   ref: 2347  €150