Auction No. 84
Closed Saturday, September 19, 1998 @ 10 p.m. eastern
Antique Maps of the World
(Price shown is a good estimate of the items value. However, you may bid any amount.
Please call, fax, email or snail mail your bids. )
Close up of Lot #9
1. Title page (Claudii Ptolemaei Tabulae Geographicae Orbis Terrarum), Mercator/Ptolemy, Amsterdam, ca. 1578. 9.5 x 14.2". (BW) Fine engraving with numerous allegorical figures. (A+) Ilustrated at right. Click image for full size. $2502. Title Page (Atlas Homannianus Mathematicio-Historice delineatus), Homann Heirs, Nuremberg, 1762. 10.7 x 18.2". (BW) An outstanding, large title page with a large globe depicting the Eastern Hemisphere. (A) $250
3. Title page (Atlas National Illustre des 86 Departements et des Possessions De La France Divise par Arrondissements…), Victor Levasseur, Atlas National Illustre, Paris, 1849. 16 x 12". (BW) Fancy titling at center surrounded by 10 beautifully rendered scenes: land and sea battles, weapons and armor, Napoleon, etc. Very attractive and highly detailed title page. A few small areas of original color. Soil in margins. (B) $75
4. World (Die Erst General Inhaltend…), Sebastian Munster, Cosmographia, Basle, [1550-78]. 14.7 x 10.2". (BW) Classic woodcut world map on an oval projection surrounded by the 12 classical windheads. The oceans are filled with fierce sea monsters and a ship. The four old world continents are named in Gothic type with some country names but no political borders. The Nile River is the most prominent feature in Africa, with its twin sources terminating in a range of mountains. The New World shows both continents with strange shapes and there is a huge passage through North America connected to the inland Sea of Verrazanno. Unidentified islands Grisonum and Calensuan are placed in the proximity of Australia and Zipangri (Japan) is located just of the coast of North America. Ref: Shirley #92; Portinaro & Knirsch plt. XVI. Some very light foxing. Has had the right margin professionally restored including facsimile of the neatline and a repair on fold. Overall good condition for this map which is typically on thin paper. (B) $2200-2400
5. World (Orbis Descriptio), Ruscelli, Geograpgia, Venice, [1561]. 10 x 7.7". (FC) Double hemisphere world with stipple engraved oceans in the Italian style. First state of this map, which also is the first time a double hemisphere world map appeared in an atlas. The northeast coast of Asia and the northwest coast of North America are shown joined and named Terra Incognita, with the coastline named Littus Incognitum. There is no Australia and a large group of islands is named Nueva Guinea. There is no Antarctic landmass. Italian text on verso. Ref: Shirley #110. Slight toning on fold and minor damp stain in lower margin, well outside map. Old coloring which includes a decorative capital in the text on verso. (A) Click image for full size. $750-850
6. World (Mappe-Monde pour connoitre les Progres & les Conquestes les plus Remarquables des Provinces-Unis), anon., ca. 1670. 18 x 13". (FC) Scarce and unusual double hemisphere map with CALIFORNIA AS AN ISLAND. Probably from a publication describing the voyages and discoveries made by the European trading companies. Dutch text describes the travels & colonial possessions of the Dutch East India Company. Ref: Shirley #447. Originally folded, the map is professionally backed with tissue repairing a couple of separations & short tear (well outside map). Some minor browning along folds, else clean with attractive (probably later) color. (B) Click image for full size. $800-900
7. World (Planisphere, ou Carte Generale du Monde), Du Val, Cartes de geographie les plus nouvelles, Paris, [1684]. 23 x 13". (OC) Uncommon, attractive double hemisphere map. Geography based on Nicolas Sanson’s map of 1660, except for an unusual, and less accurate, representation of Australia. There is a prominent Terra Ant-Arctiques dites Australes et Magellaniques. CALIFORNIA IS DEPICTED AS AN ISLAND. At the top and outside the hemispheres are circular diagrams with compass points, winds and planetary orbits. This is the 2nd state, published by Du Val’s daughter after his death in 1683. Map has been professionally backed with tissue with a bit of paper replacement in margin. Attractive modern color. (A) Click image for full size. $1400-1500
8. World (Werreld-Kaart…), Dampier, ca. 1700. 11.2 x 6.2". (BW) Very crisp copper engraved, double hemisphere map with CALIFORNIA AS AN ISLAND. Issued to illustrate the around the world voyage of Mr. Dampier from 1679-1691. The northwest coast of North America is blank except for some speculation regarding the Straits of Annian and Compagnies Land. Australia is incomplete and attached to New Guinea. The Pacific Ocean is dotted with unnamed islands. (A) $450-500
9. World (De Werelt Caart), Wetstein/Smith, Amsterdam, [1728]. 20.2 x 14.2". (FC) Scarce and rarely offered double hemisphere map with polar hemispheres and other diagrams surrounding the map. CALIFORNIA IS AN ISLAND. Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand have only partial coastlines and there is a land mass titled Terra Esonis stretching between eastern Asia and North America. Fine later coloring. (A+) Click image for full size. $1800-2000
10. World (Schuine Ronde Aard-Bolle…), De Lat & Keizer, Amsterdam, [1734-70]. 9.2 x 6.7". (OC) Very unusual double hemisphere map with each sphere on a polar projection. In North America, there is a large ISLAND OF CALIFORNIA with two place names. Australia and New Zealand have incompletely engraved coastlines. However, the well intending colorist filled them in. Surrounding the hemispheres are diagrams of the solar system and eclipses of the sun and moon. Crisp engraving and fine condition. (A+) Click image for full size. $250
11. World (Planisphere Suivant la Projection de Mecator), Bonne, Paris, ca. 1770. 12.5 x 8.2". (FC) Handsome map with tradewinds engraved across the oceans. Alaschka is a large island off the arctic coast of North America, the southern coast of Australia is not yet formed, New Zealand is well formed. Attractive pastel coloring on thick paper. (A+) $200
12. World (World Part 1 [together with] Part 2), Thomas Jefferys, Gentleman’s Magazine, London, 1773. 8.3 x 10.1". (BW) Part 1 (untitled) details the route’s of Byron, Mauat, Carteret, Anson and Lieut Cook. Covers the western hemisphere and western Africa. Part 2 is titled CHART of the Track of the Dolphin, Tamar, Swallow & Endeavour, through the SOUTH SEAS; & of the Track of. Bougainville, round the WORLD. It details the routes of Byron, Mauat, Carteret, Anson and Lieut Cook. Covers the region between Bangladesh, Japan, Australia and New Zealand and west to Disappointment Island in the central Pacific. Ref: GENT-227, part 1, GENT-228, part 2. Complete with the original Gentleman’s Magazine, December, 1773 and a facsimile of the article "Epitome of Lieut. Cook’s Voyage round the World" from the 1773 supplement. Part 3 (January 1774) is not present. (A) $225
13. World (Mappe Monde suivant la projection des cartes reduites), de Vaugondy, Nouvel Atlas Portatif, Paris, 1778. 15.5 x 9.5". (OC) Nicely engraved world map on Mercator’s projection. Tasmania is attached to Australia, open waterways near Seattle hint at the Sea of the West, neither the Sandwich Islands nor the Aleutians are shown, and only one tiny hint of Antarctica labeled C. de la Circoncision. Good color and decorative cartouche. Thick hand laid paper with large watermark. (A) $250-300
14. World (Pour Les Vents), Buy de Mornas, Atlas Methodique…, Paris, [1790]. 10 x 11.5". (FC) Crisp, dark impression with fine original coloring including light wash in oceans. Four beautiful compass roses with rhumb lines, decorative title cartouche. On Mercator’s projection and extending nearly to both poles. Map is centered about Singapore, giving it a most unusual perspective. On a large sheet (19 x 13") with French text at sides and large watermark. (A) $150
15. World (De la Geologie…), Buy de Mornas, Atlas Methodique…, Paris, [1790]. 10.5 x 11.5". (FC) Nicely colored double hemisphere. The coast of Australia (New Holland) is mostly unknown and attached to New Guinea. The west coast of North America is a dotted line above California. On a large sheet (19 x 13") with French text at sides. Little detail within continents, still a handsome map. (A) $125
16. World (Mappemonde Projetee Sur L’Horison de Paris et sur son Antipode [together with] Mappemonde sur la Projection Polaire), A.H. Brue, Paris, 1828. 16 x 17". (OC) Pair of finely engraved double-hemisphere world maps. Each is on a polar projection, though they are slightly different. On a double folio page of very fine paper and could be easily split. Royal seal below the second map. (A+) $200
17. World (Eastern Hemisphere [and] Western Hemisphere), S. Walker, Malte-Brun System of Universal Geography, Boston, [1834]. 8 x 8". (BW) World in hemispheres (8") on two sheets. Good impression. Huge Sahara Desert, misshapen Aleutian Peninsula. (B) $50
18. World, Geo. Cram, Illustrated Family Atlas, Chicago, [1883]. 9 x 11". (PC) Matched pair of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Length of rivers and height of mountains below hemispheres. Antarctica is just beginning to take shape. (A) $20
19. World (Bacon’s New Chart of the World), G.W. Bacon, London, ca. 1908. 46 x 36". (PC) Very large folding map on Mercator’s projection, with inset elliptical projection and two polar spheres. Very attractive and filled with fascinating information tables, insets of major cities, the Suez canal and the proposed Panama canal, a universal time clock, and the flags of all nations across the top. Folds into cloth covers boards with gold stamp title. Boards rubbed on corners, map fine. (A) $225-250
20. North Pole (A Map of the Icy Sear in which the several Communications with the Land Waters and other new Discoveries are exhibited), John Gibson, Gentleman’s Magazine, London, [1760]. 8 x 8". (BW) Names the Icy Great North Sea. Shows the course from Portugal to Japan in the imaginary Northwest Passage. Highly distorted land masses, including a huge single island where the Aleutians are today - noted as being discovered in 1753. Dark impression on thick hand laid paper. GENT-141. (A) Click image for full size. $125
21. North Pole (North Polar Hemisphere), Geo. Cram, Illustrated Family Atlas, Chicago, [1883]. 8.5 x 11". (PC) Four additional spheres in corners, fancy scroll work and engraving of globe and books at top and bird's nest with eggs at bottom. (A) $15
22. World, miscellaneous (A Map of the Principal Rivers shewing Their Courses, Countries and Comparative Lengths), SDUK, London, 1834. 12 x 15.5". (OC) Interesting depiction of the world’s rivers radiating from a central compass rose. (A) $45
23. World, miscellaneous (Flags of Nations), Cram, Illustrated Family Atlas, Chicago, [1883]. 8.5 x 11". (PC) Earlier rendering than normally seen. Thirty-nine flags with the US, German and British Standard featured prominently. Very light area of surface soil. (A) $15
24. Solar System (The Solar System [together with] The Artificial Sphere), Thomas Jefferys, Gentleman’s Magazine, London, [1748]. 4.3 x 7.5". (BW) Strong impression. The Solar System with six planets shown encircled in stars. Below is an engraving of a very nice amillary sphere. Lightly toned. (A)Click image for full size. $50
25. Solar System (de Zodiaque et de l’Eclyptique.), Buy de Mornas, Atlas Methodique…, Paris, [1790]. 10 x 11.5". (FC) Shows the dynamics of a Solar and a Lunar eclipse. Finely engraved renderings of the sun, moon and earth as a sphere. Large sunburst pattern around the sun. On a 19 x 13" sheet with French text at sides. (A) $90
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