Neptune François (Le). Lot n° 320

or new Atlas of marine charts, surveyed and engraved by express order of the King for the use of his armies of sea, in which one sees the exact description of all the Coasts of the Oceania Sea, & of the Baltic Sea, from the Norwege until the Strait of Gibraltar. Where are exactly marked the routes that must be kept, the Banks of sands, Rocks & Brasses of water; & generally all that concerns the Navigation. The whole made on the observations & experience of the most skilful Engineers & Pilots. Reveu & mis en ordre par les Sieurs Pene, Cassini & autres. Paris [Amsterdam], Hubert Jaillot [Pierre Mortier], 1693. Large in-folio marbled calf (contemporary binding). Binding very damaged, spine missing, leather missing, corners dull, rubbed edges,... Marginal wormholes on the first leaves. Frontispiece slightly browned. Very slight scattered spotting. Very good general condition of the maps. Engraved frontispiece title by Jan Van Vianen, title leaf with engraved vignette, 6 pp. of text, 1 pl. (engraved measures and scales), 3 plates of ships (Vessel of the first rank bearing Admiral's flag, Cut of an Admiral of 104 pieces..., Cut of a Galley...), and 28 engraved double-page watercolor maps: Map of the Baltic Sea (...); Map of the Dannemark Sea (...); Map of the Sond Strait (...); Map of the German Sea (...); Map of the entrances to the Suyder-Zee and Embs (...); Map of the entrances of the Scheldt and the Meuse (...); Map of the entrance of the Thames (...); Map of the Sea of Scotland (...); General map of the coasts of Ireland (...); Particular map of the western coasts of Ireland (...); Map of the English Channel; Map of the Bay of Biscay; Particular map of the southern coasts of England (...); Particular map of the coasts of Flanders, Picardy and Normandy (...); Particular map of the coasts of Normandy from Dieppe to the point of the Breakthrough in Bessin; Particular map of the coasts of Normandy containing the coasts of Cotentin (...)); Particular map of the coast of Brittany from Granville to Cap de Frehel; Particular map of the coast of Brittany from Cap de Frehel to Perros and Isle Tomé; Particular map of the coast of Brittany which includes Morlaix Saint Paul de Leon les sept Isles and Isle de Bas; Carte particulière des Costes de Bretagne depuis l'Anse de Goulven jusqu'à l'Isle d'Ouessant ; Carte particulière des Costes de Bretagne contenant les environs de la rade de Brest ; Carte particulière des costes de Bretagne depuis la Baye d'Hodierne jusqu'à l'Isle de Groa, contenant les Isles de Glenan (...); Carte particulière des costes de Bretagne depuis l'Isle de Groa jusqu'au Croisic (...); Carte particulière des costes de Bretagne qui comprend l'entrée de la Loire et l'Isle de Noirmoutier; Carte des Costes de Poitou, d'Aunis et de Saintonge (...); Particular map of the coast of Guienne, Gascogne in France and Guipuscoa in Spain; Map of the northern coast of Spain (...); Map of the coast of Portugal and part of Spain. Missing the first map: General map of the coasts of Europe on the Ocean from Dronthem in Norway to the Strait of Gibraltar). Dutch counterfeit in French of the first edition of this rare French maritime atlas, officially initiated by Colbert and in which participated the mathematicians and astronomers of the Academy of Sciences and the hydrographic engineers of the Navy, among whom Sauveur, master of mathematics of the royal children and member of the Academy of Sciences, and Chazelles, engineer of the Navy and member of the said academy. This first edition was immediately forged by Pieter Mortier in three versions (French, English and Dutch). It is therefore the counterfeit of Pierre Mortier, recognizable by his privilege from the King of France dated December 27, 1692. "The "Neptune" was forged in Amsterdam by Pieter Mortier within a period of