Maps by Gerard Mercator

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Originally a student of philosophy Gerard Mercator (1512-1594) came under the influence of Gemma Frisius, the founder of the Belgian school of Geography, and became interested in mathematics - both in the theory and the practical application. With these skills he soon became an expert in land surveying and cartography, as well as a skilled engraver.

His first maps were published in 1537 (Palestine), and 1538 (a map of the world), although his main occupation at this time was globe-making. He later moved to Duisburg, in Germany, where he produced his outstanding wall maps of Europe and of Britain. In 1569 he published his masterpiece, the twenty-one-sheet map of the world, constructed on what is now known as Mercator’s projection.

It was during this period, while teaching cosmography at Duisburg, that Mercator realised the pressing need for a modern collection of maps to supersede the Ptolemaic atlases. This project was gradually expanded to be a complete description of the Universe, both heaven and earth, with other volumes on the Creation, Genealogy and History and a Chronology. The description of the earth was to be in two parts, a modern geography and a Ptolemaic atlas, a massive and over-ambitious project. In fact, only the Chronology and the Ptolemaic Geographia were completed in his lifetime, and it was left to his son, Rumold, to complete and publish the world atlas in 1595. Entitled Atlas, sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi, this was the first time the name “Atlas” was applied to a bound collection of maps, and, like Mercator’s projection, has remained in everyday use to this day.

After Rumold’s death in 1599, the plates for the atlas were published by Gerard Jr. Following his death in 1604, the printing stock was bought at auction by Jodocus Hondius, and re-issued well into the seventeenth century.

World Maps Europe Maps Africa Maps Asia Maps America Maps West Indies Maps British Isles Maps English County Maps B-K Ireland Maps & Charts Title Pages

World Maps

Universalis Tabula Juxta Ptolemeum

By C.Ptolemy / G.Mercator of Cologne? 1578-1584. copperplate, uncoloured, 47.5 x 34 cm.

Ref: 34959

Price: £ 5000

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Orbis Terrae Novissima Descriptio

By J.Le Clerc / J.Hondius / G.Mercator of Paris 1602-1619. copperplate, uncoloured, 51 x 33 cm.

Ref: 37004

Price: £ 4900

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Universalis Tabula Iuxta Ptolemaeum

By C.Ptolemy / G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1578-1618. copperplate, uncoloured, 49 x 35 cm.

Ref: 37600

Price: £ 4500

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Europe Maps

Livonia

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius of Amsterdam 1595 -1627-30. copperplate, original o/l colour, 47 x 36 cm.

Ref: 37816

Price: £ 500

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Tab. II. Asiae Sarmatiam Asiaticam Repraesentans ...

By C.Ptolemy / G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1578-1704. Copperplate, coloured, 45.5 x 35.5 cm.

Ref: 9070

Price: £ 350

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Africa Maps

Congi Regnum

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius of Amsterdam 1607. Copperplate, coloured, 17 x 14.5 cm.

Ref: 30144

Price: £ 180

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Asia Maps

Asia Ex Magna Orbis ... Descriptione Gerardi Mercatoris ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595 -1613. copperplate, original colour, 46.5 x 38 cm.

Ref: 37291

Price: £ 1200

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Ceilan / Zeilan Ou Ceilon Isle

By G.Mercator / J.Jansson of Amsterdam 1630. copperplate, uncoloured, 25 x 18.5 cm.

Ref: 31451

Price: £ 360

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America Maps

America Sive India Nova ...

By M.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595 -1606. copperplate, coloured, 45.5 x 36.5 cm.

Ref: 30939

Price: £ 5200

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America Noviter Delineata

By G.Mercator / J.Hondius / J.Cloppenburg of Amsterdam 1630-1673. Copperplate, original colour, 25 x 18 cm.

Ref: 36539

Price: £ 750

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America Sive India Nova Ad Magnae Gaerardi Mercatoris ...

By M.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1613. copperplate, original o/l colour, 46 x 36.5 cm.

Ref: 37551

Price: £ 5000

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Americae Descriptio

By R.Mercator of Antwerp 1628. copperplate, uncoloured, 20.5 x 16 cm.

Ref: 38015

Price: £ 420

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Nova Virginiae Tabula

By G.Mercator / J.Hondius / J.Cloppenburg of Amsterdam 1630-1673. Copperplate, original colour, 25 x 18 cm.

Ref: 36540

Price: £ 720

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Virginiae Item Et Floridae Americae Provinciarum Nova Descriptio

By G.Mercator / J.Hondius / J.Cloppenburg of Amsterdam 1630-1673. Copperplate, original colour, 25 x 18 cm.

Ref: 36541

Price: £ 720

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West Indies Maps

Mappa Aestivarum

By G.Mercator / J.Hondius / J.Cloppenburg of Amsterdam 1630 -1632. copperplate, uncoloured, 25.5 x 18.5 cm.

Ref: 33079

Price: £ 850

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British Isles Maps

Cornubia, Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1607. Copperplate, original colour, 46 x 46.5 cm.

Ref: 25125

Price: £ 460

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Westmorlandia, Lancastria, Cestria, Caernarvan, Denbigh ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1607. Copperplate, original colour, 41 x 36 cm.

Ref: 25127

Price: £ 480

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Anglia Regnum

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1633. Copperplate, coloured, 46.5 x 35 cm.

Ref: 25623

Price: £ 600

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Anglia Regnum

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1628. Copperplate, original colour, 45.5 x 35 cm.

Ref: 29041

Price: £ 600

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Anglia Regnum

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1611. Copperplate, uncoloured, 46.5 x 35 cm.

Ref: 29042

Price: £ 600

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Eboracum, Lincolnia, Derbia, Staffordia, Notinghamia, ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1619. Copperplate, coloured, 42 x 35 cm.

Ref: 29747

Price: £ 450

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Warwicum Northamtonia Huntingdonia Cantabrigia Suffolicia ...

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius / J.Jansson of Amsterdam 1595 -1636. copperplate, original colour, 47 x 37 cm.

Ref: 32210

Price: £ 400

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English County Maps B-K

Cornubia, Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1595-1623. Copperplate, original colour, 47 x 37 cm.

Ref: 23396

Price: £ 420

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Cornubia, Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia ...

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius of Amsterdam 1636 -1644. copperplate, original colour, 46.5 x 36.5 cm.

Ref: 27599

Price: £ 450

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Ireland Maps & Charts

Ultoniae Orientalis Pars ...

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius of Amsterdam 1595 -1636. copperplate, original colour, 37.5 x 34.5 cm.

Ref: 37296

Price: £ 380

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Udrone Irlandiae In Caterlag Baronia

By G.Mercator / H.Hondius of Amsterdam 1595 -1636. copperplate, original o/l colour, 27.5 x 34 cm.

Ref: 37297

Price: £ 300

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Title Pages

[Title-Page] Germaniae Tabule Geographicae ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1585 -c.1610. copperplate, original colour, 16 x 23 cm.

Ref: 23018

Price: £ 260

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[Title-Page] Italiae Sclavoniae, Et Graeciae ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1589 -c.1610. copperplate, original colour, 17 x 28.5 cm.

Ref: 23019

Price: £ 280

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[Title-Page] Galliae Tabule Geographicae ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1585 -c.1610. copperplate, original colour, 22 x 31.5 cm.

Ref: 23020

Price: £ 300

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[Title-Page] Italiae, Sclavoniae, Et Graeciae Tabule Geographice

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1589 -1623. copperplate, original colour, 19 x 29 cm.

Ref: 23936

Price: £ 260

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[Title-Page] Germaniae Tabule Geographicae ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1585-1623. Copperplate, original colour, 16.5 x 22.5 cm.

Ref: 35628

Price: £ 260

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[Title-Page] Belgii Inferioris ...

By G.Mercator of Amsterdam 1585-1623. Copperplate, original colour, 16.5 x 22.5 cm.

Ref: 35629

Price: £ 260

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