Sold Antiques

M-13596: (Image: 18 x 11 3/8'') Very elaborate engraving designed by Zacharias Webberts with old hand-coloring heightened with gold for Moses Pitt's “The English Atlas...”.

Published in Oxford, c. 1680.

This highly decorative title page was for Pitt's rare atlas on which instead of producing his own plates, he relied upon those by Johannes Jansson and inserted English text.

Mythical features are seen examining a large globe centered on Europe and Africa. Neptune stands left of the globe and on the right Cybele (mother goddess of the earth) stands with turreted crown and a lion at her feet. In the foreground is a seated muse representing history or geography.

In the background Atlas holds a celestial globe on his shoulders and putti hold the drape-style cartouche across the top. Originally intended to be a 12-volume set, arguments among the partners meant the project ground to a halt after four volumes.

In 1686 Pitt was arrested for debt and confined to the Fleet Prison. Nothing is known of him after 1691.

“An integral part of map collecting is the study of frontispieces and title pages of atlases. They are usually very elaborate affairs, engraved by the finest craftsmen available, not only announcing the title of the volume, but enticing the viewer to look further into the pages...” (R. B. Williams; Investing in Maps; p.147-9). “It is important that what was once the first and most important display leaf in a valuable work should be treasured…” (Rodney W. Shirley, The Map Collector, #46 p. 17).