Le Flambeau de la Guerre Allumee au Rhin; Representee en 36 Nouvelles Cartes Geographiques, Dans les quelles on voit le Rhin depuis Bon jusqu' a Basle, & les autres Places aux environs

FIRST EDITION, decorative title page showing an allegorical scene of a Roman soldier and the oppressed masses, additional titles in Dutch and French, large folding engraved general map and 36 double-page engraved maps, each printed from individual plates. The individual maps can be put together to form a large overall map (total size approx. 1480 x 660 mm.) original soft leather travel binding, spine head slightly worn, 8vo, Amsterdam, N. Vischer, 1735

An excellent guache coloured copy of a scarce military pocket atlas based on maps prepared by Guillaume de l’Isle (1675-1725) during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714).

The maps cover specifically the Rhine basin. They include the Bonn-Herborn area in the north and Montbiliard, Basel and Schaffhausen in the south. Marketed for travellers, this atlas was sold ready bound and coloured, as opposed to the common practice of selling books in loose sheets.

“This little work, which was called the Torch of War, is of great usefulness and use to Officers and Travelers”. Petrus Schenk

Publisher Petrus Schenk lived from 1693-1775 and was one of the important mapmakers of his time. His father, also Petrus Schenk, was originally from Germany. He settled in Amsterdam after his apprenticeship with the map and atlas maker Gerard Valk, whose daughter he married. Father and son Schenk remained strongly oriented to Germany for their trade, also opening a trade in prints, maps and paintings in Leipzig. According to the title page, Schenk’s shop was located at the beginning of Warmoesstraat, Amsterdam.