Old World Auctions' 200th Online-only Sale, October 10th, Will Offer Just Five Rare And Coveted Maps

By Author: Eliane Dotson
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To celebrate its 200th auction, Old World Auctions is offering five of the most coveted maps of the last 500 years. Auction #200: Cartographic Treasures is an Internet-only auction that will be available for live bidding on Thursday, October 10th, at 12 o’clock noon Eastern time.

The brief but important catalog includes two of the most important collections of travels and voyages from the 16th century, some of the earliest images of Native Americans available to a European audience, and iconic maps that influenced mapmakers for centuries.

There is no live, in-person gallery bidding. The catalog is up for viewing and bidding now, at https://www.oldworldauctions.com/catalog/current, as well as the popular online bidding platforms LiveAuctioneers.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and absentee bids will be accepted.

“For our 200th auction, we’ve curated historic pieces that are on many collectors’ wish lists,” said Eliane Dotson, who co-owns Old World Auctions with her husband, Jon. “These pieces are not only rare, but also in splendid condition – a remarkable combination.”

Mr. Dotson said, ...
... “My favorite item in the auction is Purchas His Pilgrimes, which has a superb example of John Smith’s map of Virginia still bound in the volume. We’ve only seen a few examples of Smith’s map, and they are typically separated from the volume and have significant condition issues, so this example is particularly desirable.”

Purchas His Pilgrims, published 1625-1626, is an important five-volume collection of voyages with 88 maps. At the beginning of the 17th century, Samuel Purchas, an English cleric, set out to publish a compendium of voyages to foreign countries. To illustrate his work, Purchas obtained the rights to use Jodocus Hondius' copperplates from Atlas Minor. Fifty-eight of these half-page maps were included in Purchas His Pilgrimes, with English titles inserted above them.

These half-page maps include two world maps, the North Pole, Iceland, the Western Hemisphere, three related to North America, two of South America, 25 of Europe, 15 of Asia, and eight of Africa. Purchas also included the double-page John Smith map of Virginia engraved by William Hole. Five additional double-page maps represent India, China, Greenland, North America, and Nova Scotia – a total of 81 half-page and seven double-page maps (est. $55,000-$70,000).

That’s not even the auction’s expected top lot. That honor goes to lot #5, the complete first edition of Theodore de Bry’s Grands Voyages (Parts 1-9 in two volumes), published 1590-1602. Grands Voyages covers explorations and surveys of the Western Hemisphere and is considered to be the most complete illustrated work on the history of America in the 16th century. The project was begun by Theodore de Bry of Frankfurt in 1590 and was to continue for another 54 years.

Trips became known collectively as the Grands Voyages (to America and the West Indies) and the Petits Voyages (to the Orient and the East Indies). In total, the two volumes contain 9 maps (8 of which are double-page), 253 mostly half-page engravings, 11 engraved title pages, and numerous engraved vignettes, heralds, and portraits. This example, being comprised of all first editions and bound together "as issued," is considered extremely rare (est. $120,000-$150,000).

Lot #1 - titled Nova, et Integra Universi Orbis Descriptio – is a rare first edition of a double-cordiform world map with the first reference to Magellan’s voyage. It was prepared by French cartographer Oronce Fine in 1531 for the 1532 Paris edition of Johann Huttich and Simon Grynaeus' Novus Orbis Regionum. It’s a compilation of accounts of voyages and discoveries, first published in Basel in 1532 with an oval world map by Sebastian Munster and Hans Holbein.

The oval world map was replaced by this double-cordiform world map in the 1532 Paris edition, printed by Christian Wechel. The plate was used by several different publishers for their works, including Glareanus' De Geographia in 1536 and Pomponius Mela's De Orbis Situ in 1540. The map went through six different states for the various publications. This is the rare first state, bearing the imprint of Oronce Fine, with the date 1531 at bottom center (est. $50,000-$60,000).

Lot #2 is a book published in 1543 containing rare medieval woodcut maps of the ancient world and Holy Land. It’s a complete edition of the rare and popular Mer des Histoires, a French translation of the world history, Rudimentum Novitiorum, first published in 1475 and the first publication to include printed maps depicting land forms and countries (one the world and one of Palestine). The French edition first appeared as Mer des Hystoires in 1488 with new woodblocks.

The circular world map is based on a T-O map with east at the top and centered on Palestine. Europe is depicted at bottom left, with numerous countries identified and an illustration of the Pope in the walled city of Rome. The map of Palestine is titled Cedar et ses Tabernacles and is centered on Jerusalem, oriented with east at the top. This was the first printed map based on first-hand observation, showing Palestine based on a 13th century pilgrimage (est. $27,500-$35,000).

Lot #3 is a complete edition of the Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster, with over 100 maps and views, fully titled La Cosmographie Universelle, Contenant la Situation de Toutes les Parties du Monde, avec Leurs Proprietez & Appartenances, published in 1560. Sebastian Munster (1489 - 1552) was one of the three most renowned cartographers of the 16th century, along with Mercator and Ortelius. Munster's Geographia and Cosmographia Universalis are iconic works.

This French edition of the Cosmographia includes maps of the world, the ancient world, the four continents, eight regional maps, plus over 1,000 woodcuts, including two long folding views (of Vienna and Heidelberg), 37 double-page plans and views, and 66 smaller maps and views. Also included is the plate of Munster's Monsters, engravings of exotic animals, and a portrait of Munster as frontispiece. This example of the Cosmographia is complete (est. $32,500-$40,000).

People can register to bid online at https://www.oldworldauctions.com/register. Bidders may also call in their bids, at 804-290-8090, or email them, at info@oldworldauctions.com. Previews will be held by appointment only during regular business hours, Monday thru Friday, from 8:30 am to 5 pm Eastern time. or email for an appointment.

Old World Auctions offers full condition reports on everything in its auctions, and they offer a 100 percent money-back guarantee on the authenticity and condition of everything they sell. To learn more, visit www.OldWorldAuctions.com. Updates are posted often.

About Old World Auctions:
Established in 1977, Old World Auctions is the leading specialist in antique maps. The company has researched and listed over 100,000 maps and atlases in its auctions and offers its research free to the public through its online archive. They can be reached by phone at 804-290-8090, or email at info@oldworldauctions.com. To learn more, visit www.OldWorldAuctions.com.