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This sea atlas, "arguably the most sumptuous ever produced" (Burden), first published in 1646 when its author, Robert Dudley, was 73, was not only the first sea atlas of the world but also the first to use Mercator's projection, the earliest to show magnetic deviation, the first to show currents and prevailing winds, the first to expound the advantages of "Great Circle Sailing" (the shortest distance between two points on a globe), and "perhaps less importantly the first sea-atlas to be compiled by an Englishman, albeit abroad in Italy" (Wardington). The book is a superb marriage of Dudley's navigational expertise and cartographic excellence, with beautifully engraved charts by Antonio Francesco Lucini. Robert Dudley (1574–1649) was the illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, erstwhile favourite of Elizabeth I. His early career as explorer and navigator bears some comparison with Sir Walter Raleigh, whose path crossed his at various points. He left England in 1605, converted to Catholicism, and settled in Florence, where he styled himself Duke of Northumberland and Earl of Warwick. He designed and built warships for the arsenal of Livorno and became a naval advisor to Ferdinand I, Grand Duke of Tuscany, of the Medici family. "In the early 1640s he retired to the Villa di Castello and devoted himself to writing on naval matters, drawing on his experience to compose the encyclopaedic Dell'arcano del mare (1646–7), dedicated to Grand Duke Ferdinand II. The first of its six books dealt with methods of calculating longitude, including those of his own invention; the second contained charts and sailing directions. The third contained much of the material in the earlier 'Direttorio marittimo', plus proposals for the creation of a navy; the fourth book, concerned with shipbuilding and fortifications, recalled his practical experience at Leghorn. Book five built on the work of the Portuguese navigator Pedro Nunez. The final book was an atlas of 127 maps, the first to employ Mercator's projections" (ODNB). The first edition of 1646-7 was assembled in three volumes of different formats, folio, small folio, and quarto; several charts had to be folded multiple times to fit, which made the book difficult to handle. The three volumes were often shelved apart and therefore easily separated and lost. This second edition was improved in several ways, published in two uniform folio volumes, with the charts supplied with sequence numbers in the cartouches for ease of use. It is rare in commerce, with only two complete sets recorded at auction in the last 20 years, none of them in such exceptionally bright and clean condition. Provenance: Sir John Temple Leader (1879-1903), British politician and art connoisseur; Member of Parliament from 1835, Leader was interested in Italian history and archaeology. The book was originally in the library of his Italian residences, first at Villa Maiano, near Florence, and later at the Castello di Vincigliata, near Fiesole. Thence by descent to the British soldier and peer, Richard Luttrell Pilkington Bethell, 3rd Baron Westbury (1903-1917), Leader's grandnephew. READ MORE Folio. Six parts in two volumes (550 x 425 mm). Contemporary sheep, spines with raised bands, early ink lettering and blind tooling in compartments, covers elaborately panelled in blind with blind foliate corner- and centrepieces, red sprinkled edges. Two printed titles with engraved vignettes (mounted in vol. I), 362 engravings on 292 sheets (67 engravings with volvelles and 7 with string), and double-page plate of the author's patent of nobility. Elaborate woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces. Some bindings expertly and judiciously refurbished, traces of the removal of library stamps from the title pages, vol. II with plate 16 silked at gutter, and plate 20 cut out and mounted. An unusually clean and well-preserved set. Phillips, Atlases 457, 458 (first edition) and 3428; Phillip D. Burden, "The Mapping of North America", 1196; cf. Shirley, BL, M.DUD-1a–1e.; see Lord Wardington, "Sir Robert Dudley and the Arcano del Mare", The Book Collector 52 (2003), pp.199-211.

"Arcano del Mare" by Sir Robert Dudley is a groundbreaking work in maritime science and navigation, published in the 17th century. Sir Robert Dudley, an English explorer, navigator, and mathematician, sought to compile an exhaustive resource on navigation, shipbuilding, and the science of the seas. First published in Florence in 1645-1646, "Arcano del Mare" is notable for several reasons. It was the first sea atlas to cover the entire world, providing detailed charts and information that were invaluable to navigators and sailors. Dudley's work included not just maps but also detailed descriptions of the winds, tides, and currents of the world's oceans. Dudley introduced several innovations in mapmaking, including the first use of Mercator projection in maritime charts. This projection became a standard in nautical cartography because it represented lines of constant compass bearing as straight lines, simplifying navigation. The atlas contained a wealth of information on shipbuilding and naval warfare tactics, making it a comprehensive manual for naval engineering of the time. Dudley's work also discussed the design and construction of ships, offering insights into 17th-century naval architecture. Dudley approached the task with a scientific rigor, incorporating the latest mathematical and astronomical knowledge into his work. "Arcano del Mare" reflects the early modern fascination with applying scientific methods to practical problems, such as navigation and exploration. The atlas is also renowned for its artistic beauty, with elaborate and detailed engravings. These illustrations not only served a practical purpose but also elevated the atlas to a work of art. "Arcano del Mare" was a monumental effort that required a vast amount of information to be gathered, synthesized, and presented in a coherent and usable form. Dudley's work had a significant impact on navigation and maritime science, influencing the development of nautical cartography and naval engineering for centuries. Despite its importance, the atlas was not widely distributed, making existing copies rare and highly valued by collectors and historians.