Jefferys' The American Atlas and Nelson Mandela's Personal Law Handbook at Frieze Masters London

Peter Harrington returns to Frieze Masters - currently running until October 15 - with a catalogue concentrating on the many ways the illustrative arts have enhanced, decorated, and illuminated the printed book.

Highlights include a first edition of The American Atlas by Thomas Jefferys (1775), the cartographic bible of the American Revolution, with large maps of 11 of the 13 colonies, and of French Canada. As Geographer to the Prince of Wales, and subsequently George III, Jefferys had unparalleled access to the latest surveys of the American colonies. After Jefferys' death in November 1771, his business passed to Robert Sayer and John Bennett, who, in 1775, issued all of Jefferys' separately issued maps in atlas form for the first time, under the umbrella title The American Atlas. This is considered to be the most important 18th century atlas for America. The geographical knowledge of America gathered here was to have impact not only on the strategy of the War of Independence, but also influenced the course of future treaty negotiations.

Also featured is Introduction to South African Law and Legal Theory by W. J. Hosten and others (1983), Nelson Mandela’s personal copy, inscribed by him in prison, together with his copy of the supplement, signed by him on the front wrapper. Both books were given by Mandela to his lawyer Priscilla Jana.

Jana was a member of the African National Congress and the key legal counsel for the leaders of the movement, including, alongside Mandela, his wife Winnie, Steve Biko, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. She was one of very few individuals allowed access to Mandela and other high-ranking ANC prisoners and was able to transmit coded messages between the prisoners and the ANC on the outside. Mandela gave Jana a small collection of books on his release from prison, including these.  

Additionally, on offer are six signed proofs of original etchings for James Joyce's Ulysses by Henry Matisse (1935), number 61 of 150 sets of six plates, each of which are signed numbered and titled by Matisse. The plates comprise the artist’s illustrations for the first illustrated edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses, published by the Limited Editions Club the same year.