Vinkeles, Harmanus ; Van Schley, Jan ; van Tagen, J

SANTACILIA, Jorge Juan; ULLOA, Antonio de Historische reisbeschrijving van geheel Zuid-America [...] door Don George Juan [...]; en door Don Antonio de Ulloa [...]. Goes J. Huysman 1771-1772 (colophon: 1773) 2 vol., 4to: [8 incl. front. and engr. title]-xxiv-428, viii-iv-348-[2] pp.; 25 (folding) pl. (vol. 1: light damp stains not affecting the pl., blank margins heavily damaged pp. 389-428; vol. 2: tear in pl. 24). Contemp. sheep, marbled paper covers, spines with 5 raised bands (worn with paper on covers almost completely disappeared). Very rare Dutch edition by Jacob Huysman of "Relación histórica del viaje hecho de orden de su Majestad a la América Meridional" (1st ed.: Madrid, 1748). Having bought the privilege from the publishers of the Engl. 8vo edition, Arkstée & Merkus, the editor decided upon this enlarged 4to ed. with a new set of engravings. Engr. ill.: frontispiece, 2 engr. titles by H. Vinkeles, 25 neatly executed maps, plans and views by H. Vinkeles, J. van Tagen, J. van Schley a.o. With the engr. permission by King Philip V of Spain (vol. 2, p. 171) who ordered, in 1734, J.J. Santacilia (1713-1773) and Antonio de Ulloa (1716-1795) to join the French Geodesic Mission. Their goal was to settle the controversy concerning the precise shape of the earth by measuring the Meridian degree alongside the Equator in South America. As such, they could determine that the Earth is not perfectly spherical but is oblate, i.e., flattened at the poles. Equally an important source on Peru, Bolivia, Chili and the history of the Incas. By contemporaries often quoted ed. of which only little copies survived. Incl. a list of subscribers. Ref. Sabin 36804. - STCN (1793 Amst. ed. by W. Holtrop). - ESTC (Engl. ed). Prov. Ms. libr. mark.