Antique Maps – Christie’s Collectors Guide

Description

hardbound with dust jacket, pp. 314, 160 illustrations, 8 of which are in color.

2nd hardbound edition. AN EXHAUSTIVE HANDBOOK ON MAP COLLECTING. Evocative historically significant, sometimes quaint and often very beautiful, old maps are endlessly intriguing and appeal to people for all sorts of reasons. Collecting them has become a popular hobby, and this book provides a sound general introduction to the subject for all would-be collectors, as well as a mass of precise information for the expert. Dived into three parts, Antique Maps covers map making. map makers and map collecting. Against a general historical background, the methods of map making from about 1470 onwards are described in detail, and the many different types of maps explained. In Part II all the major map makers are listed, with brief biographies and details of their principal works. Organized country by country, this provides an invaluable and easy-to-use reference to nearly 600 cartographers active between about 1450 and 1850, including such famous names as Mercator, Münster, Speed, Blaeu, Jansson and Sanson. A chapter covering American cartographers and their maps is included. Finally, the third part of the book gives advice to the new collector on the practical aspects of buying and looking after maps. The numerous illustrations provide a fascinating view of the range of maps available to the collector, while the comprehensive index will enable the reader to locate information quickly and easily. An extensive bibliography is provided for those who wish to pursue the subject in greater detail. First published in 1983 and quickly sold out, Antique Maps is now reissued in a new edition at a price that will make it attractive to all collectors, dealers and lovers of old maps.