John Seller’s early career is marked by grand projects which drew him into financial difficulties by 1677. He began to focus on smaller scale projects, namely octavo versions of his earlier folio works. The ‘Atlas Maritumus’ was first published in 1682. An analysis of 9 examples shows that the contents were usually 31 maps, with some variations. A much rarer later edition offered here is entitled ‘Hydrographia Universalis’ which was published c. 1695. The number of maps is enlarged considerably to 54; 28 of the maps here were previously issued in the ‘Atlas Maritimus’. It was first advertised for sale in the ‘London Gazette’, 5–9 December 1695 for 5 shillings. Again with this work, after examination of four other examples, the content varies slightly but appears to be no more than 54 plates. That in the British Library only has 46 plates. This atlas contains 18 maps of the Americas, 3 of Asia, 3 of Africa and 2 polar charts.

An extremely rare miniature atlas with no examples traced at auction (ABPC/RBH). There are only five recorded examples, in the BL, CUL, NMM, Oxford All Souls, LC and possibly in the Library Company of Philadelphia (ESTC, but not in their online catalogue). Provenance: manuscript list of maps of flyleaf in early hand — Thomas Wyndham (1681-1745, Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1726-1739; later ink inscription on title ascribing ownership). Burden (1996) nos. 547-52, 554, 706, 707; Sanderson (1971) 431; Shirley BL M.SELL-7a.