1781 – Universal Geography – Claude Buffier | Atlas & 18 Maps – California Island!

Known primarily for his contributions to philosophy, Claude Buffier, a 17th-century French Jesuit historian, published a work of universal geography. This work, which went through numerous editions and titles into the late 18th-century, describes each of the world’s continents and major world powers on each. This atlas, along with previous editions, were published at a time before extensive knowledge of the world was common. Buffier atlases are well-known to show California as an island off the American west coast!

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Géographie universelle, exposée dans les différentes méthodes qui peuvent abréger l’étude & faciliter l’usage de cette science
• Author(s): Claude Buffier
• Publisher: Rouen, P. Machuel
• Edition: 1781 edition. Derniere, stated
• Binding: Full leather binding
• Format: (12mo), single volume
• Size:  6.75 x 4.25 in (17 x 11 cm)
• Collation: 404, 87 pp
• Illustrations: 18 maps, folding
• Contents Include:
  • Descriptions of world continents and regions
  • Geographic methods for study and reference

Condition:

Good. Full leather binding tight and secure with some loss and rubbing at corners and edges. Text block remains stable. Pages generally clean.

Why Collect This?

• 18th century French geography with 18 maps
• Associated with early cartographic traditions such as California as an island

Item Number: #50225