 "A MAPP of GENERAL CARTE
of the WORLD" |
Old & Antique Maps |
"A MAPP of GENERAL CARTE
of the WORLD" |
Old & Antique Maps |
over the years, I have had to buy new maps for everyday use as my maps became out of date, soon that interest grew to the study of and gaining information about old and Antique maps
maps can be a fascinating subject they can tell you a lot about history
A very early map of the British Isles Dated around 1520-40 this is one of the earliest maps of the British Isles known to exist. It was carved into a woodblock which was then used for printing. It is famous for the error in how Scotland is portrayed (west to East) as this was due to a survey error at the time. the map is drawn in Ptolemaic view, this is what we now call the projection and accounts for the reason the scale at the map top is smaller than at the bottom. given how old it is, it is still incredible how such a map was produced. In my view it is actually a historic work of art. |
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a 17th century
road map
The reason the map was drawn in this format was to show the necessary detail needed to follow from town to town and included such information as slope of a hill (important information for a stage coach driver) |
John Ogilby was famous for
his detailed road maps (100 strip maps were produced in this way) and featured all the
main roads of the time This map shows a stretch of the road between London and Derby, and was produced in 1675 |
scroll
down for a few examples of
interesting maps
Mountains and Rivers This map was by Johnson & Ward, it is typical of many charts that are included as extra to the actual maps in atlases produced in the years 1850 to 1910. |
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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. |
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England sometimes called decorative, this map is by Alephi and is another extremely rare map. the famous caricature map of England is one of many maps that were first Published they are now worth between £120 and £200 depending which country they show, but are rare and hard to find. |
the name Alephi is a pseudonym, and the exact cartographer |
Map Links : There are loads of links to map's on the net, and I have visited a fair number. I am sure there is a link for you. I have listed a few that I regularly visit, and a description. Map Collector Publications : A commercial site that mainly sells text books about antique maps. Antique Map Fair : Monthly antique map fairs in London. However the main reason I have included this is there is lots of other information on this site on old maps. Also included on this site is an electronic version of Moreland & Banister's text book. Richard Nicholson of Chester - Antique Maps and Prints : Another commercial site with lots of info on antique maps, including excellent illustrations. |
only experience and looking
at reference books will tell you a maps value
below is a few examples of this diverse subject
more examples on other map pages
a good example of a 250 year old map that is available under £50 |
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| Lancashire, by John Cowley, dated 1744. The title reads It is a small interesting county map of Lanncashire, with the title is displayed on a small banner. Overall size 5 x 7 inches. from "The Geography of England" |
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but how much is a map worth ? |
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| condition means
everything a map is only worth as much as the condition it is in. value is effected by the obvious things such as : rarity, cartographer, original colouring, etc. etc. |
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| but the exact area
that a map covers makes a difference
sometimes a huge difference |
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this map of CARDIGANSHIRE is worth around £180 as Welsh county maps are unfashionable. it's a very desirable map by |
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| the map of Middlesex is worth
over £500,
some counties like Cornwall, Cambridge and Oxford are worth even more (sometimes double again) both maps are from the same 1662 atlas, both could equally be described in a dealers catalogue as "a fine 17th century map of the
county, the title and scale are displayed in a single cartouche. |
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below are ten cartographers whose work you should look for when exploring old antique shops, your attic, junk shops, car boots, etc. |
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more
interesting maps
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this map of Staffordshire by William Wallis is typical example of an old map that's over 100 years old, and can be purchased for under £10 |
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the North Pole by Mercator |
more examples of old maps |
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