A short video essay looking at maps and the Outside Lands Act of 1866. Featured maps: 1868 Britton & Rey – Map of the Outside Lands of the City and County of San Francisco SOLD: 1864 Butler – City and County of San Francisco. Carefully Compiled from recent surveys, including all the new additions of …
A look at the beginnings of urban San Francisco using Eddy’s 1849 map, one of earliest obtainable maps of the city. Featured map: 1849 Eddy – Official Map of San Francisco [one of earliest obtainable maps of SF]
One of the earliest and most important maps available to collectors of American maps, this is Laurent Fries’s slightly reduced, and more decorative, version of Martin Waldseemüller’s landmark map covering the Atlantic coastline of the Americas, including the Florida peninsula and the Gulf Coast, and islands.
A short video essay looking at one of the earliest and most important maps available to collectors. Featured map: SOLD: 1541 Waldseemüller/Fries Tabula Terrae Novae [Christopher Columbus]
A comparison of plates 2 and 3 of Abraham Ortelius map of the Western Hemisphere: Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio. Featured maps: 1579 Ortelius – Americae sive Novi Orbis Nova Descriptio [old color]1588 Ortelius – Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio
Transformations of Istanbul: from Byzantium to Constantinople, to the city we know today. Featured map: 1582 Braun & Hogenberg – Byzantium nunc Constantinopolis [old color]
The answer to this question depends on your goals. If you simply want something to fill a blank wall, a reproduction might be your best approach.
However, reproductions lack the aesthetic qualities of the original. Original authentic objects carry imaginative power from their associations in time and place. A mass-produced object, fundamentally indistinguishable from other members of its production run, will suddenly gain value through its association, as, for example, a baseball that happens to be used for a historic play.
For many, that association is powerful. Like a piece of authentic Louis XV furniture, a map published in the 18th century in France has a history: it has survived revolutions and wars along with the everyday dangers of accident and decay.
In the 1930s, Walter Benjamin famously argued that original works of art had an “aura,” an authenticity related to its time and place. It is this aura, this authenticity, that makes antiques special. It is possible to buy a modern reproduction of an authentic antique. But that reproduction has none of the aura of the original work, none of its imaginative power.
Assessing whether a map is real or fake takes a trained eye. The first aspect to determine is how the map was printed. Woodblock cuts, copper or steel plate engravings, and lithographs are the most common printing methods. These types are relatively easy to recognize. A plate etching is precisely that: a motif etched in reverse and then pressed onto the paper. The paper must be of a certain thickness and quality to handle the force, and the printing process will leave an impression outside the map area.
In most cases, the impression is visible to the naked eye and can be felt by running your fingertips over it. When discerning a lithograph from a later offset print, using a strong magnifying glass is best. If the applied image consists of numerous tiny dots, it is an offset; lithographs will appear as a more coherent blob.
So, here are things to consider:
1. Is the paper appropriate to the age of the map?
2. Is the printing style correct? Is there a clear plate mark?
3. Check for obvious marks that it is a legal reproduction.
If it has a title or other large text, it is best to copy this carefully and google it. Most maps are multiples, meaning they have been produced in many copies, and so chances are that some collection, dealer, or auction house somewhere has handled it. This information will only give you a first impression, though, as some maps exist in many different states, which range considerably in value.
Maps speak to us about how humanity’s understanding of the world progressed. Some maps are appealing because they changed how we look at the world, while others are attractive because they reflect a single cartographer’s vision. It is hard to say which resonates more significantly on the market. If your map has age, is authentic, and does not figure a hundred times on eBay for $20, chances are your map might be worth something. Remember that only the rarest maps are very valuable, so even if you find something that looks like it comes with a high price tag, this may not always be the case. If you are in doubt, never hesitate to contact us. We are happy to provide you with a free and non-binding assessment.
Among our many areas of expertise, the following stand out: San Francisco, California, the American West, Colonial America, Railroad maps, the Northwest Passage, early exploration and mapping, and the scientific mapping of the Middle East.
Neatline is an online boutique based in San Francisco.
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We do not specifically market to children under 13.
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In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
We will notify the users via email
We also agree to the individual redress principle, which requires that individuals have a right to pursue legally enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or a government agency to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.
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Contacting Us
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below.
michael@neatlinempas.com
San Francisco, California
USA
Last Edited in July 2019
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