The ‘Atlas Minor’ by Johannes Cloppenburg was the least successful of three ‘Minor’ versions of Gerard Mercator’s atlas. Published in just three editions the first was issued in 1630. The reasons for this are unknown but may have something to do with the fact that when the plates reappeared some forty years later they were in the hands of Jan Jansson’s descendants. Jansson had published a rival slightly smaller atlas in 1628. It is possible he bought this the largest of the three works to keep it off the market. The copperplates for this work were engraved by Pieter van den Keere. This is an example of the second state after the shot silk moire effect of the sea has been erased, but before the addition of a plate number. A rare issue. Koeman (1967-70) ME 205; Shirley (2004) T.Clop 1c.