Early old maps

pre 1650

 

 

Many old maps are rare, many are interesting

but some of the oldest are the most interesting, they are a rare insight of the world as we knew it at that time

 

 

1540

Muenster 1540
Sebastian Muenster  ~ Tabula Asiae VIII

Basel: 1540, hand-colored woodcut, 9 7/8 x 13 inches, Early map of a section of Asia including India, in the form of a globe gore. Illustrated pictures include fanciful Indian mythological figures. Generally bright and attractive. Light foxing and toning, mostly marginal, worm hole in margin, lower margin chipped and with short tears but ample.

 

 

1541

Waldseemuller 1541
WÄLDSEEMÜLLER, Martin. ~ India

Tabula nova Indiæ orientalis & meridionalis. Vienne, Gaspar Treschel, 1541. Woodcut, printed area 310 x 430mm. Some worming near centrefold expertly restored.
The last printing of Wäldseemüller's "modern" map of the Far East, using the block prepared by Fries in 1522. It shows the Malay Peninsula and Indo-China somewhat inaccurately, with eight islands to the east. The Philippines and Japan are not represented. Over one island is a vignette of a man using a cleaver to butcher a cadaver, with two very western-looking women choosing the choicest cuts.

waldseemuller 1541
Martin WÄLDSEEMÜLLER's map of the same time of the British Isles  with Scotland at right-angles, and many sea ports marked.

 

 

1574

Braun & Hogenberg 1574

Braun & Hogenberg ~ Townplans ~ London

Londinum Feracissimi Angliae Regni Metropolis. Cologne, 1574-, Latin text edition, original body colour. 335 x 490mm. Most of bottom margin made up, not affecting printed border; split in lower centrefold and a 7cm tear leading from it repaired; printer's crease in fields.
The earliest printed map of London to survive, a 'map-view' with the major buildings shown in profile, with no consideration for perspective. An imperfect but presentable example of the second state, with the spelling "West Muster", issued two years after the first.

 

 

1579

Saxton 1579
Christopher Saxton  ~  Shropshire

The first county maps of The British Isles, were produced by Christopher Saxton in  1579.
Needless to say any surviving maps from these atlases are extremely rare, with each map worth between £2500 to £4000 depending on condition and county.

 

 

1598

Girolamo Ruscelli 1598
RUSCELLI, Girolamo.  ~ Ptolemaei Cognita.

Venice, Melchior Sessa, 190 x 270 mm.
Fine dark impression.
Ruscelli's Ptolemaic map of the known world. Extending from Africa to China. The Nile and the 'Mountains of the Moon' are clearly shown, as are Tabrobana (Sri Lanka) wrongly placed, British Isles with Scotland at right-angles and the Malay Peninsula.

 

 

1613

Mercator 1613

MERCATOR, Gerard. ~ Asia

Asia ex magna orbis terre. descriptione Gerardi Mercatoris desumpta studio et industria G.M. Iunioris. Amsterdam, Jodocus Hondius, 1613, French text edition. 380 x 470mm.
First issued 1595, this map of Asia still has several interesting points: Japan stilll has an oval shape with a chain of islands to the south, despite the inclusion of a much more accurate map in the same atlas; an island marked "Polus Magnetis" appears just above the Straits of Anian, away from a polar landmass; and north-west America appears, with two towns within the kingdom of "Quivera". KOEMAN: Me 23a.

 

 

1627

John Speed 1627
SPEED, John  ~  A NEWE MAPE OF GERMANY

A NEWE MAPE OF GERMANYNewly Augmented by John Speed Ano Dom: 1626. John Speed's fine map of the whole country bearing the impriunt of G. Humble. Decorative title cartouche. Across the top of the map are eight panels each with a town view whilst down the two sides are ten panels each with a costumed figure. English text onverso. 20 1/2 x 16 inches, 520 x 405 mm. Very light water marks in the four corners, otherwise good condition with amplemargins. From A Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World.

Worth between £800 and £1000

 

 

1636

Simmons 1636

Worcestershire ~ Matthew Simmons

WORCESTER SHIRE. An unusual 'thumb-nail' map of the county with distance table. Engraved by Jacob van Langeren and sold by Matthew Simmons at the Golden Lion in Ducke Lane, London in 1636. 4 x 4 inches, 100 x 100 mm. Uncoloured. From A Direction for the English Traveler.

 

 

1648

J Bleau 1648
BLEAU,Jon  ~  Cardiganshire, Joan Blaeu, c.1648.

CERETICA SIVE CARDIGANENSIS COMITATUS; ANGLIS

CARDIGANSHIRE. A fine 17th century map of the county Decorative title and scale cartouchew with figures and putti. Two ships. Royal Arms, Arms of Wales and the Prince of Wales Feathers. Dutch text on verso. Fine early hand colouring. Excellent condition.

This map is worth under £200 as Welsh county maps are unfashionable.  If it was an English county the price would be at least double and often treble.

 

 

1649

Janson 1649
JANSSON, Jan  ~  China

China Veteribus Sinarum regio nunc Incolis Tame dicta. Amsterdam, 1649, French text edition, original colour. 410 x 500mm. Centrefold reinforced, damage caused by the original colour repaired.
The map shows not only China but also the whole of Japan and the "island" of Korea. A large title cartouche with exotic Chinese figures in full colour fills the gap top right, where the enigma of "Ezo" was to confuse Europeans until the late 18th century.

 

 

 

By the end of 1650,
most of the famous map makers of the
grand ornamental style where producing
their maps.

by these, I include cartographers such as :
John Speed,
John Bleau,
Jan Jansson,
and Gerard Mercator

Hereford by Drayton Hole

Michael Drayton & William Hole produced this map of Herefordshire in 1622.  It is from their famous atlas "Poly-Ibion", not produced in much numbers details on the "Atlas" page

 

more early maps coming soon

 

 

Edingburgh

above is another example of Braun & Hogenbergs town plans ~ Edinburgh

whilst left is an example of Herman Molls work with a map of Scandinavia

 

 

 

 

 

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