The greatest and finest atlas ever published.” -Koeman I, Bl 56 The finest and most comprehensive baroque atlas was Joan Blaeu’s exceptional Atlas Maior, completed in 1665. The original 11-volume Latin edition, containing 596 maps, put Blaeu ahead of his staunch competitor, mapmaker Johannes Janssonius, whose rivalry inspired Blaeu to produce a grandiose edition of the largest and most complete atlas to date. Covering Arctica, Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, Blaeu’s Atlas Maior was a remarkable achievement and remains to this day one of history’s finest examples of mapmaking. This reprint is made from the National Library of Vienna’s complete, colored, gold-heightened copy, thus assuring the best possible detail and quality.

This is the coffee table book to rival all. Atlas Maior is available at Amazon for only $200. (The Morning News lists this and many other gifts to splurge on this Christmas.)

I have a deep level of respect for IDEO, they constantly produce high quality work and are willing to share their methodology with the world. I’ll be buying this one.