A New System of Modern Geography by William Guthrie – 1782

London: C. Dilly in the Poultry; and G.Robinson, Pater Noster Row, 1782.
Fifth Edition.
Large 4to; 11 x 8 5/8 inches (280 x 221 mm); xii, 855, (24) pp. 21 hand-colored plates (20 fold-out maps and 1 globe), all maps present that are called for in the ‘Directions for Placing Maps’ on the last page; maps with paper or cloth tape repairs, mostly at one fold near gutter, and resulting in discoloration; scattered light foxing and offset from maps and tape on facing pages; handmade laid paper supple and bright throughout. Tan calf binding, 5 raised bands with gilt fillet on compartments, title in gilt on red morocco spine label; gilt decorations on front edges; joints tired, boards and corners scuffed but binding sound and square.
PROVENANCE: Collection of Charles E. Sigety; Armorial bookplate of John Drake pasted inside front cover.
[Sabin p. 510; Lowndes p. 960; ESTC 006013026].

First published in 1770 as ’A new geographical, historical, and commercial grammar’, this extensive work is by Scottish writer, journalist, and historian William Guthrie (1708 – 1770). It covers the the geography of the world, was frequently reprinted in various formats and also various languages. It contains handsome plates of The World, Armillary Sphere, Europe, Sweden, Denmark etc., Russia, Scotland, England and Wales, Ireland, France, Germany/Netherlands, Poland/Lithuania, Spain and Portugal, Italy, Turkey/Hungary, Asia, East Indies, Africa, North America, British Dominions in N.A., West Indies, and South America. Our copy includes ALL 21 PLATES, which were often torn out of such volumes and sold individually. It also includes chapters on New Discoveries and Terra Incognita, a chronological table of world events, and a table of coin equivalencies. The chapter on America and British America is quite extensive and, according to Evans, was the work of Jedidiah Morse (Evans, Charles. American Bibliography. New York: Peter Smith, 1942. Vol. 9, no. 27077). The book garnered such interest that it was published in three consecutive editions in Philadelphia in 1792, 1794 and 1795 [Evans 25574, 27077, 28782].
From the collection of Charles E. Sigety (1923 – 2014), an entrepreneur, healthcare pioneer, New York Real Estate developer, and philanthropist who was an avid collector of historical documents, memorabilia, and wines.

Condition: Very good