Showing all the direct and principal cross roads, the course of the rivers and navigable canals, cities, market and borough towns, parishes, and most considerable hamlets, parks, forests etc. With a hand coloured key map and 81 leaves of maps printed on one side only, with all boders, towns, parks etc coloured by hand. Bound in brown cloth boards witrh black leather spine and foredges. With gilt titles to spine. Usual wear to spine and edges. Small ink stain to maps no 1-13 at bottom of page edge. Stain does not enter the print block on any of the maps. Cary’s Maps written on the 3 page edges in neat faded ink. Previous owner’s name on fep. Binding tight and very minor foxing throughout. Large vol.

A “Vue d’Optique” print of the Cape of Good Hope.
In the 18th and 19th centuries a device with a lens and mirror called the zograscope was used to give an illusion of depth to hand coloured engravings called vue d’optique prints. The zograscope is placed over a hand coloured print so that the print is reflected in the mirror held at an angle. The spectator looks into the magnifying lens on the front of the instrument to view the reflection. The lens and mirror impart a quality of depth to the flat print. These instruments were popular parlor amusements in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The present item is a typical example of a print designed to be viewed through one of these devices, with the reversed title and very typical casually applied and strong colouring.

Beautifully kept fold out map of Cape Town and surrounds. Minor foxing but otherwise in very good condition. Slight closed tear on spine