Chambers’s atlas for the people, accompanied by a descriptive introduction.

Edinburgh : W. and R. Chambers, 1846. Quarto, half red morocco over marbled boards (edges a little rubbed), gilt-tooling to spine, gilt-lettered title label to upper panel, pink endpapers, engraved title page, pp. 48, text in columns plus pp. 24 (index); one double page map and 32 full page engraved maps of the world, outline hand colour, occasional light foxing but overall a very good copy.

The descriptive text relating to Australasia includes a typically derogatory description of the Aboriginal population ‘in a state of utter barbarism’, with a description of the European colonial settlements.

An attractive Victorian atlas of the world.