Posts from — December 2007

Today’s Atlanta Journal Constitution has an article about an antique map that calls into question the naming of Atlanta, Georgia.

I’m a little late with this, but a new exhibit from the Library of Congress has opened:

“Exploring the Early Americas,” which features items from the Jay I. Kislak Collection and Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 World Map-the first document of any kind of use the word “America”-focuses on the history and legacies of the Americas and the impact of European contact, culture and conquest.  It opens Thursday, Dec. 13, in the Northwest Galleries of the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. S.E., Washington, D.C. The exhibition, with labels presented in both English and Spanish, is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday.

Among the most significant elements of the exhibition are Martin Waldseemüller’s 1507 World Map, which was the first document of any kind on which the name “America” appears and the first map to depict a separate and full Western Hemisphere, with the Pacific as a separate ocean; and his 1516 Carta Marina or Navigators’ Chart, another large world map. Also on display will be the Schöner Sammelbund, a portfolio that contained the two world maps and other cartographic materials. The Schöner portfolio was stored in a German castle for nearly 400 years, until it was discovered in 1901. An interactive display enables visitors to discover more about each map by accessing map highlights linking to curator insights.

Read more details at the Library of Congress Exhibit Site.

BBC News is reporting the medieval map known as Mappa Mundi, by Richard of Haldingham and kept at Hereford Cathedral, has been added to the Unesco Memory of the World International Register.

Unesco said: “The map is pivotal in our understanding of medieval cartography and sense of place and still has relevance to all peoples in helping them to understand their sense of humanity and self.”

The map measures 64 inches x 52 inches (1.62m x 1.32m) and was drawn on a single piece of vellum.

Unesco also recently added the the 800 year old Tabula Peutingeriana as mentioned in this previous post to its Memory of the World list.

[tags]mappa mundi, unesco world international register, historic maps, antique maps[/tags]

Today’s Chicago Tribune has an article, “Great Maps Aren’t Hard to Track Down“ with some helpful hints about buying antique maps.

In a nutshell:

1. Look at lots of maps to get a feel for what you like,
2. Avoid internet auctions unless you know the dealer to be reputible.

Antique maps start around $200 but can cost many thousands of dollars, Ritzlin said. Very fine maps generally start around $1,000, Nebenzahl said. Maps of the United States tend to be more expensive than other parts of the world, thanks to Americans’ passion for maps of their own country…

The article also mentions a couple of places to buy affordable reproductions.

[tags]antique maps, buying antique maps[/tags]