Antique Maps Information & History
By there very nature antique maps will generally show some wear and tear due
to their use at the time as they will have come from working atlases or perhaps
charts aboard ships. Early maps were printed from wood blocks cut in relief.
These were followed by the more ornate maps where the image was cut in reverse.
These maps were produced from copper engravings or later from the 1830s onwards
generally steel engravings. Steel being a harder metal allowed more precise and
elaborate fine decoration with longer lasting plates meaning more maps could be
produced from a single engraving.
Lithography became popular in the
early 1800’s and by drawing directly on to a specially prepared stone the map
maker was able to produce the printing material faster than traditional
engraving. In addition by using different stones for the same map a mixture of color
could be introduced. However later in the 19th century modern
printing became economic with the advent of lithography by machines. Maps could
be mass produced but at the same time became less decorative if more
functional.
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.
All this should be born in mind when choosing antique maps. The particular period will mean that the map has been printed in a particular way and will reflect the durability, decorative aspects and numbers produced. Generally the older the map the less will have been made available. Very early maps will be unique although will generally have been copied from a source and thus reproduced by hand.
Collecting antique maps is a fascinating hobby and very rewarding as you make your own voyages of discovery through these wonderful antique maps.