GAY, Claudio (1800–1873). Atlas de la historia física y política de Chile. Paris: E. Thunot y Ca., 1854.

Rare first edition of Gay’s atlas documenting Chilean geography, history, flora, fauna and more, with hand-colored plates. Founder of the Chilean National Museum of Natural History, Claude Gay (later known in Spanish as Claudio) first moved to Chile aged 28 and began his life work of surveying the country’s natural environment. The present atlas is rare at auction and often only appears incomplete or in one volume only.

Folio (426 × 290mm). Half-titles, lithographic frontispiece portrait of Diego Portales, large lithographic folding map of Chile, 20 full-page lithographic maps, 295 full-page lithographic plates, many of which are partially or fully hand-colored (title-pages creased, smaller format title-page laid in, folding map toned with marginal tears, stains and spotting throughout at times severe, “Entierro del Cacique Cathiji” and “Presidio de la Isla de Juan-Fernandes” torn with duplicates laid in). Contemporary quarter red sheep over paste paper boards, lettered in gold on spine, marbled endleaves (heavily rubbed, leather and paper peeling, bumped, few stains, scratches, hinges starting). Sold as a collection of plates not subject to return.