A New Systeme of Geography, designed in a most plain and easy method, for the better understanding of that science. Accommodated with new mapps, of all the ... countreys in the whole world. [London]: Sold at his shop on the West-side of the Royal Exchange, [1685].
Small 8vo (140 x 89 mm). Letterpress text: 1-30, 33-80 pp only (of 110pp). Engraved additional title, uncolored engraved plate "An Instrument for finding the hour of a day...in any part of ye world" with attached volvelle, 30 double-page engraved maps, hand-colored in outline, 28 (of 29) leaves of engraved text printed recto only. Engraved title trimmed to plate margin and mounted. Contemporary mottled calf, rebacked to style.

THE FIRST EDITION OF JOHN SELLER'S EXCEPTIONALLY RARE WORK: ONE OF THE EARLIEST ENGLISH WORLD ATLASES. The work went through several editions but only a handful of copies seem to have survived." OCLC lists only six copies of this first edition.

Seller seems to have sold the atlas in much the same way as the great Dutch composite atlases of the period, Lord Wardington in a discussion of his own 1695 edition notes, "the New Systeme seems to have been made up to order," a maximum of 110 pages (numbered 1-30, 33-112) of text is recorded. The number of maps varies: one of "the British Library's examples originally contained twenty-seven maps (four are missing, and one extra added), while the Library of Congress' example contains fifty-one maps." In this copy there is a contemporary inscription on the front paste down, partially indistinct, showing that the cost of the book was calculated according to the number of maps it contained, and the "desc." or number of text leaves that the purchaser chose. In this copy the 30 maps were priced at 6 shillings and 4d.

The fullest listing of maps which were offered for inclusion in the various editions of A New Systeme is given by Phillips (vol.IV, #4267) where a numbered list of the 58 maps in the Library of Congress's 1690 edition is given. A comparison with that list shows that the present copy includes the following maps (identified by number): 1-3, 7-11, 13-14, 16-21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30-34 and 51. The Phillips list does not include the "A New Mapp of the World" or "A Mapp of the World Shewing what a Clock it is," "A Mapp of the Kingdom of England and Wales," "Spaine" - all of which are also in the present atlas.

Betz Africa 134; cf. Phillips Atlases III, 3450 (1685 edition with 51 maps) & IV, 4267 (1690 edition with 58 maps) ; cf. Shirley Maps in the Atlas in the British Library T.Sell-7a (23 maps); Shirley World 524 and 525; cf. Wing S2477.