This is a complete example of Cellarius's Geographia Antiqua, a highly-regarded book on ancient geography that was first published with maps in 1731 and was re-issued a number of times over the next century. Although the title page refers to it as the fifth edition, this is the first edition to contain maps. It was published in London by S. Ballard, J. Senex, G. Innys, J. Osborn, & T. Longman. The book and maps focus on the three regions of the Ancient World - Europe, Asia, and Africa. The attractive, boldly engraved maps are in Latin and are filled with ancient place names. There are 27 maps on 26 sheets, as well as a plate showing an armillary sphere. Although the eastern hemisphere map uses ancient place names, it includes contemporary developments, with partially defined coastlines for Australia and New Guinea and interesting conjectural cartography in the vicinity of Japan and northeast Siberia. The western hemisphere map leaves northwestern North America completely undefined, with no border at all. Sicilia Antiqua shows an erupting Mt. Aetna. Insulae Britannicae extends to include Thule (depicted as an archipelago), and a handsome map of the Nile Delta, Aegypti Delta et Nili Ostia locates Alexandria, Memphis, and the pyramids. The text is in Latin. 180 pages. Hardbound in early 19th-century half calf with tips over marbled paper boards and gilt title and decorations on spine.

References: McCorkle (18th C. Geography Books) #38; Shirley T.CELL-3a.

Condition: B+

The maps are very good overall, sharp impressions with light to occasionally moderate offsetting. Part of the left and right borders of the German map have been trimmed away, and the Syrtes and Byzacena map has a stain at center. Text is very clean and bright with occasional light soiling and lightly toned endpapers. A small portion of the title page has been excised and replaced with manuscript text. Binding has light wear and minor soiling.