Basic Antique Map Collecting

If you are new to the world of antique maps and prints, we hope you will find in these few pages some interesting and straightforward background information, which will enable you to embark on a hobby which can be exciting and rewarding.

The fascination of old maps and prints lies in the their unique ability to reflect the history of the world and times of our ancestors, as well as your own special interests. You can aspire to an exceptionally scarce and superbly colored 17th century plan of the town in which you were born, or from which your family emigrated, or to an equally interesting view of the city you now live in, as it was 100 or more years ago.

All can be beautifully matted and framed, to provide outstanding wall decoration that enhances your home or workplace and at the same time gives endless interest and pleasure. What other legacy from the past is still available today at such affordable prices?

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE TERM “ANTIQUE MAP”?

An antique map is a map printed over 100 years ago by one of three main processes.
The earliest maps were generally printed from a wooden block which had been cut in relief (the printed area standing out from the rest) and then inked. This type of map can be seen in the work of Munster (c1550) among others. Most of these maps were never colored.

Copper and steel engravings form the vast majority of antique maps that can be found today. In this process the image was cut, in reverse, into the metal plate which was then inked, placed with a sheet of paper in a press and the ink in the grooves would produce the image.

Copper, a softer metal, in common use from the early 1500’s until about 1820, would produce relatively few maps before having to be beaten out and re-engraved. Steel was introduced in the early 1800’s and quickly replaced copper because finer lines could be engraved and far more maps printed on this harder metal. Nearly all engraved maps dated after 1830 were produced on steel.

Surface printing or lithography also started in the early 1800’s and allowed the artist or mapmaker to draw directly on to a specially prepared stone. This was cheaper and faster (no engraver was needed) but most lithographic maps have a fuzzy quality which does not endear them to many. This method can be used with several colors (each color needs a separate stone) but can result in overlapping of colors in some of the poorer efforts.

By the late 1880’s modern machine lithography and printing were taking over and maps lost their decorative quality.

CONDITION OF ANTIQUE MAPS

Descriptions of condition that are found in catalogues of antique maps are about as subjective as it can get. One dealer’s “excellent” might be another dealer’s “good”. A description can do a lot to convey information about condition, but among a range of catalogues comparability has yet to be achieved. Some dealers omit condition statements entirely, presumably on the assumption that their reputation is sufficient -and often it is, especially with a return guarantee. Of necessity, auction catalogues generally have more extended descriptions of condition since misinformation can invalidate a sale.

Antique maps are paper items that are subject to wear and tear similar to any item which was intended to be used. Nearly all of them come from atlases, which may have been roughly handled, indeed sea charts may have traveled many times around the world - and inevitably may have marginal tears or repairs to them. Below is a classification guide to grade condition.

Minor defects include marginal tears, slight brown spotting from paper aging, shadowing where ink is transferred across a folded map and slight creasing of the paper. Do not confuse the centerfold in most maps with creasing. Many larger maps were intended to be folded into atlases.

Major defects include tears, which enter the printed surface, actual loss of printed surface, defacing by writing on the map surface and severe browning on poorer paper.

Major defects are more common in maps from the 1800’s and earlier which could make that map totally undesirable, but rarer, older maps may only be obtainable in a degraded condition. Either way the condition will be reflected in the price that the collector pays.

Buy a map in the best condition that you could reasonably expect for its age and price. The rarer and older it is, the more forgiving you should be about condition.

We grade our maps on the following scale:
Art Source International and most major map dealers have adopted the following condition codes from The Antique Map Price Record & Handbook 2001. Our scale includes a “letter Grade”, in addition to a short descriptive statement. Their criteria are described below.
(A+) Excellent Condition
Clean and bright, with crisp engraved lines. On sound paper with wide margins. Fine quality coloring.

(A) Very Good Condition
Clean and bright, with crisp engraved lines. On sound paper with no imperfections in the image. Small tears or minor discoloration in the margin only. Very good quality coloring.

(B) Good Condition
No significant imperfections. Minor spotting, foxing, short separations on centerfold with no image loss, or overall age toning may be present. May have narrow margins but paper is still sound. Good coloring.

(C) Fair Condition
Noticeable imperfections. Scattered foxing or spotting. Long separations on centerfold or tears entering image which can be easily repaired. Color may be slightly faded.

(D) Poor Condition
Needs significant repair and cleaning. Paper may be highly acid and brittle. Color may be faded.

SIZES OF ANTIQUE MAPS

Obviously they come in all manner of sizes but there are three main groups all dependent on a single sheet of paper and how it can be folded.

Folio— refers to maps printed on a complete sheet, generally measuring about 25? by 20?.

Quarto— refers to maps printed on one quarter of a sheet , generally about 13? by 10?.

Octavo— deals with maps printed on one eighth of a sheet, generally about 7? by 5?.

There are any number of other sizes, often shown as 12mo or 16mo, used by some of the exquisite miniature maps of the late 1500’s and early 1600’s, generally about 3.5? by 4.5?.

COLORING OF ANTIQUE MAPS

Some maps were never meant to be colored, like most of the woodcuts or the early copper engravings of people like Ruscelli, but most antique maps look better with appropriate hand color. It was not until the 17th Century, when the superb maps by Blaeu and others were individually colored by hand at that time. The depth and splendor of some of the early colors was based on the preparation of pigments, some of which are not now available - a lost art.

Ideally one would like to find a map with original hand color, also know as contemporary color, that was applied at the time it was printed. However, not all original hand color was well done or even applied correctly. So-called ‘later’ or ‘modern’ hand color, skillfully applied, can be aesthetically pleasing, but only if done in a style appropriate to the mapmaker or the map’s period.

Maps were originally colored to enhance appearance and readability. Generally three or four colors (green, pink, orange and yellow) distinguished political subdivisions, black was used for names, red colored cathedrals or other buildings distinguish large cities and blue stands for water.

Many maps and prints were colored at the time of printing. Some care must be taken when buying these, to ensure that no oxidization has taken place - Greens and browns in particular tend to ‘burn’ through the paper. Burning may be an unavoidable blemish in some maps from the 1600’s You should always hold any item you are interested in up to the light, to check not just for any such ‘burning’, but also to see whether there are any defects, such as small worm holes, evidence of repairs, etc.

Modern Color. Often older maps issued without color have color added in whole or in part. Any color added long after the map was issued is referred to as modern color. Modern color can be skillfully applied. If it is skillfully applied and historically correct it is often difficult to distinguish from contemporary color. If you are in doubt you can ask us, for we can usually distinguish between the two.

Many antique maps or prints that were originally published uncolored, have had modern coloring applied, or can be colored to order. Normally sizing” will be applied to the surface of the print before coloring, to prevent the paint from “burning” the paper.

Whether or not you decide to have a map colored is very much a matter of personal taste. The purists will argue that the map or engraving should be left in its original state. Others may prefer the added enjoyment of seeing their collection in attractive colors, particularly when the intention is to mate and frame them for display in the home or work place.

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By Michael Zaun
Copyright @ 2001