Meyers Handatlas was a significant atlas and a competitor to the widely dominant Stieler’s Handatlas. It offered several advantages over its rival, including a larger number of maps—100 compared to Stieler’s 83—at nearly the same price (60 Thalers for Meyers versus 59 for Stieler). Additionally, Meyers Handatlas provided a greater variety of maps, such as railway maps, hypsometric physical maps showing elevation with shades of brown, and detailed inset maps featuring plans of major cities. However, this diversity inevitably resulted in less visual uniformity across the different maps compared to Stieler’s, which maintained a more cohesive and consistent design.
To expedite its production, approximately half of the maps in Meyers Handatlas were reused from the older Grosser Meyers Handatlas, the most comprehensive atlas of its time in Germany—and perhaps the world—during the 19th century. These maps, originally engraved on steel by Radefeld, were transferred to lithographic plates, eliminating the need for hand-coloring, further speeding up the production process and lowering the costs of production. The remaining maps, mostly created by Ludwig Ravenstein, introduced a new style by using shades of brown for terrain shading instead of black. This process required 2-3 separate printing plates for each map: one for basic features, one for terrain shading, and one for borders.
Beyond its maps, the atlas included 15 pages of statistical information about various countries and territories, adding to its comprehensive appeal.
The atlas was continually updated and improved, with maps being re-engraved annually until 1877, when its publication abruptly ceased for unknown reasons. Despite its innovations, the Meyers Handatlas was less commercially successful than Stieler’s, possibly due to the lack of visual consistency compared to Stieler. Based on the relative scarcity of surviving copies in today’s market, it is likely that Meyers Handatlas sold 3-5 times fewer copies than its main competitor.
Very good condition, professionally restored and rebound. Externally quite solid. Inscription on title page. Some maps with heavier yellowing, but overall with only very light signs of use.
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