MINIATURE MAPS

These lovely little maps have become highly sought after for several reasons. Firstly they represent an opportunity to acquire a reasonable number of countries or areas for affordable prices and secondly their size solves many display problems. They are often an identical smaller version of a larger folio map, but at 10% to 15% of its price, and famous mapmakers like Ortelius, Bertius, Kitchin, Du Val and others worked in this format. The dominant period for miniatures was the late 1500’s to early 1600’s, but each century had its makers through to the Starling maps of the 1830’s. We offer a selection of these below with some representative images from each mapmaker. Click on any title to see an image.

 All prices are in U.S. dollars.

To find out how these maps were made, refer to About Antique Maps. If you would like to see other types of maps and prints please return to our Home Page. The references below are to 'Miniature Antique Maps' by Geoffrey King (published 1997, new edition 2003).

Recent auction prices suggest that there is a very strong demand for miniature atlases with  consequent upward pressure on the price of individual maps. We have  greatly expanded our selection of Ortelius, Bertius, Van den Keere, Morden and Mallet miniatures. Please click on each map title to see an image. Each weekday from September to June we auction some miniatures under the name 'Bertius' on eBay (www.ebay.com) in the 'Maps/Atlas' section of 'Antiques & Art'.

This page was last updated in Winter 2008.

Benedetto Bordone

We are delighted to be able to offer a selection of  maps from one of the most important of all early atlases, 'Libro de Benedetto Bordone', published by Nicolo Zoppino in Venice in 1528. This is considered to be the first series of miniature maps ever printed and contains a number of 'firsts' in terms of separate printed maps of these areas, whatever the scale. We have identified some of these 'firsts' below. Several pages have maps on each side and we have elected to offer the page rather than separating the maps. Please remember that these are the very scarce first edition of 1528 and, as such, represent an opportunity to acquire some foundation maps. The sizes vary from 3.5" x 5.5" to 8" x 6" on a single page as well as two double-page maps 13" x 9". Please see King pages 42-43 from the first edition and pages 48-49 from the second edition.

Abraham Ortelius

Abraham Ortelius was one of the two great cartographers of the late 1500's (the other being Gerard Mercator). His work was produced  in large folio format initially but there was such a demand for his maps that  an early miniature atlas 'Spiegel del werelt' was created in 1577 and this went through many editions with many engraved interpretations but it is best known in its Latin form 'Epitome Theatri Orteliani'. There are many different styles of maps in this series.

Maps are about 3.5" by 5", printed between 1583 and 1657 (see King second edition pp 60-61, 64-65, 78-79, 86-89, 106-107, 162-163). 

                                                                                        Pierre  Lemau de la Jaisse

Pierre Lemau de la Jaisse produced a most unusual and beautiful series of woodcut maps for his account of French fortified cities, 'Plans des principales places de guerre et villes maritimes frontieres du Royaume de France'. It was published in Paris in 1736 by Didot, Quillau & Nully. These genuinely scarce maps were also unusual in that the circular map and smaller, circular heraldic design were stuck on to a prepared background, much like a Blaeu titlepage. The maps measure 6" by 3.5". See King (second edition) page 169.

Petrus Bertius 

Petrus Bertius was a historian whose text was embellished with maps from the foremost engravers of the late 1500's and early 1600's, including Pieter Van den Keere and Jocodus Hondius. These maps, which are more varied and generally valued more highly than those of Ortelius, are also scarcer. They are beautiful miniatures and King feels that the 1616 edition published by J. Hondius Jnr is "the finest set of miniature maps ever printed"  We believe that we have the finest selection available for sale that can be found on the internet.           

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Maps are about 3.5" by 5" and printed 1602 - 1618 (see King second edition pp 80-85, 96-99). All are hand coloured..

Gabriel Bucelin

These maps were published by Johann Praetorius in Augsburg in 1658. They come from Gabriel Bucelin's 'Universal History' and are now quite scarce.

The maps measure 4.5" by 2.5" and have nice full wash colouring. See King second edition (pages 122-123, 126-127) for more details.

Varia

Below are a collection of interesting maps from a variety of mapmakers, most of whom are little-known, and whose work is very difficult to find.

For more information, please contact us and we shall try to answer any questions.

Philip Cluver (Cluverius)

Philip Cluver was a Dutch historian who  used  maps extensively in all his books. These come from either the true miniature edition ( measures 5" by 5") of "Philippi Cluveri Introductionis in universam geographicarum", first published in Amsterdam  by Louis and Daniel Elzevirin 1661, or the later edition of 1711 (Mundus Charteus) published by Johann Bugel, or the early and much scarcer 1652 (6" by 6.5")and 1678 (6" by 8") editions of a slightly larger format, published by Andrea Duncker and Johannis Duncker respectively in Brunswick, Germany .

See King second edition pages 128-129 for more details.

Pieter Van den Keere (Miniature Speed)  

These are the so called 'miniature Speed' maps but have little or nothing to do with the great English cartographer other than being connected to his initial publisher George Humble. Nonetheless Van den Keere was a master engraver and these are highly sought after among collectors. The engraving style is quite distinctive.

Maps are about 3.5" by 5" and printed in 1627 or 1646 (see King second edition pp 102-103, 116-117). All are hand coloured.

                                                                                                 Claude Buffier

Claude Buffier was a Jesuit priest and geographer who authored his 'Geographie Universelle' in 1711. This was so popular that it went through many editions in over 100 years. These maps come from three different editions (1738, 1758 and 1762) and measure approx 5.5" by 7".

Pierre Du Val  

Pierre DuVal was an outstanding French cartographer more noted for his large maps but he produced one miniature atlas 'Le Monde ou la geographie universelle' , initially published in 1660 but continued in many editions.

Maps are 4" by 5" and printed in 1664 & 1682 (see King second edition pp 132-135, 144-145). All are hand coloured, most with original colour.

Johann Mueller/Gabriel Bodenehr

Johann Mueller published a world geography, 'Geographia Totius Orbis Compendiaria', in 1692 with a series of tiny maps mostly

engraved by Gabriel Bodenehr. These tiny maps measure 2.5" by 3" and have original outline hand hand colouring. They are uncommon.

See King second edition pp 160-161 for more detail.

                        Allain Mallet

Allain Mallet was the author of 'Description de L'Univers', a six volume world history which contained numerous engraved maps, views, flora, fauna and famous people. The maps vary from plain to highly decorative and the views are very charming.

This atlas has become hugely expensive (sold for over $30,00US at Sotheby's, London in December 1999).

Maps are 4" by 5.5" and printed in 1683 or 1685 (see King second edition pp 152-155). All are hand coloured.

                                                                                                Thomas Jefferys

Thomas Jeffreys (1710-1771) was probably the premier English cartographer of the mid 1700's whose 'magnum opus' 'American Atlas' was published after his death.. He occasionally worked in smaller format including contributions to the 'Gentlemans Magazine'. These extremely uncommon maps and views come from Smollett's 'Voyages ......    '....' published  in London in 1762. They vary  in size (from 6" by 3" to 6" by 9") . All have elegant hand colouring.

Nicholas De Fer

 Nicolas De Fer's maps ranged from huge wall maps to these beautiful little maps derived either from his work for J. Robbe's,  'Methode pour Apprendre facilement la geographie', published in Utrecht in 1688 or from 'El Atlas Abbreviado' of Don Francisco de Aefferden published in Antwerp in 1696.  The maps measure approximately 6" by 7" and have been finely hand coloured.

 George W. Boynton

These steel engraved maps now appear to be quite uncommon. Boynton worked for Goodrich, Edwards and Bradford but these are much smaller and later (c1850) than most of his work and were issued in one of the famous 'Peter Parley' books. The maps measure 6" by 4.5" and have original hand colouring.

                                                  Johann Maschenbauer/Elias Baeck

These beautiful maps are extremely scarce and, although not true miniatures because they measure about 6.5" by 8.5", fit best in this category on our website. They were published in 1748 in Augsburg, Germany under the name 'Dollmetscher Seitungs Handbuch' and have original full wash hand colouring.