Maps by Abraham Ortelius
Following the death of their father, Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) and his sisters became map illuminators or colourists; and Ortelius also dabbled in buying and selling general antiques. From 1558 onwards, he is recorded as purchasing multiple copies of maps in order to colour them, but also began building up a large personal collection.
Ortelius was certainly the “man for the moment” whose interest in history and the classics translated itself into his maps of the ancient world and, through his draughtsmanship and cartographic skills, the production of his maps of the modern, emerging world. His life spanned a period of dramatic European history and the cultural enlightenment of the late Renaissance, while his friendship with the great Gerard Mercator, and other connections with like-minded geographers, historians and academics around Europe, provided the raw material for one of the landmarks of cartographic history.
From about 1560, possibly as a result of his friendship with Mercator, Ortelius began to produce maps - an eight sheet world map being the earliest. At this time, Ortelius also began preparing his greatest project, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Having already become probably the greatest cartographic bibliographer of the period, Ortelius was able to prepare 53 map sheets based on the most up-to-date information, which were engraved by Frans Hogenberg, and first published in 1570.
The atlas achieved instant fame as “the world’s first regularly produced atlas” (Skelton), being the first atlas with maps prepared to a uniform format. It was also an immediate commercial success, being reprinted four times in 1570. Between 1570 and 1641 (the publication of the last recognised edition of the Theatrum …) few competing volumes appeared and the atlas was able to expand from its original 53 maps to over 160. Over 30 different editions, with text in Latin, French, Dutch, German, Italian, English or Spanish, testify to the popularity and esteem attributed to the work. Marcel Van Den Broecke, whose fascinating work on Ortelius and his maps is often quoted, estimates that around 7300 complete atlases were published using a total of 234 copperplates, either replacements or reworkings as plates became out-dated, worn, or as new information became available. Amongst this latter category, the maps added in the 1580’s and 90’s of the world, the Americas, China, the Pacific, Japan, Peru and Florida, and Iceland are important historically and justly famous.The maps themselves are finely engraved, often very decorative and generally found with text on the reverse.
After Ortelius’ death in 1598 the atlas continued to be printed and published by the Plantin Press. Between 1602 and 1609 it was published by Johann Baptist Vrients, who added a variety of fine maps including the very decorative large plates of England and Wales, and of Ireland. Publication reverted to the Plantin Press, under the control of the Moretus brothers, from 1612.
Although only the relatively unsuccessful atlases of De Jode and, ultimately, Mercator were published during the sixteenth century life of the Theatrum …, in 1607 Jodocus Hondius’s issue of Mercator’s Atlas ... with many newly prepared maps began to supersede Ortelius’ work.
World Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1587 -1612?. copperplate, coloured, 49 x 36 cm.
Ref: 37929
Price: £ 6800
Europe Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1587 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34255
Price: £ 700
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34256
Price: £ 480
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 47.5 x 36 cm.
Ref: 34147
Price: £ 560
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 37852
Price: £ 850
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579. Copperplate, coloured, 49.5 x 35.5 cm.
Ref: 17208
Price: £ 400
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1595 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 50 x 35 cm.
Ref: 34161
Price: £ 600
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 34806
Price: £ 320
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1558-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 35077
Price: £ 120
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1584-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 35098
Price: £ 320
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 49.5 x 34.5 cm.
Ref: 37855
Price: £ 600
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 48 x 33 cm.
Ref: 37856
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 44.5 x 29.5 cm.
Ref: 37857
Price: £ 450
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 48 x 31 cm.
Ref: 37858
Price: £ 240
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1592 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 49 x 37.5 cm.
Ref: 34157
Price: £ 500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1595-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 35083
Price: £ 160
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573 -1579. copperplate, uncoloured, 48.5 x 38 cm.
Ref: 17180
Price: £ 400
![Saxoniae, Misniae, Thuringiae, Nova Exactissimaq[ue] Descriptio](/mapimages/newmaplist/17191.jpg)
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1579. copperplate, coloured, 50 x 34 cm.
Ref: 17191
Price: £ 260
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1603-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34272
Price: £ 550
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 48 x 30 cm.
Ref: 35089
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1595-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 42 x 30 cm.
Ref: 35090
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 49 x 38 cm.
Ref: 35092
Price: £ 400
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1590-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 48 x 31 cm.
Ref: 35094
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 47 x 31 cm.
Ref: 35095
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 51 x 37 cm.
Ref: 35096
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 45 x 34 cm.
Ref: 34156
Price: £ 1000
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573-1574. Copperplate, coloured, 20 x 31 cm.
Ref: 10777
Price: £ 380
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 48.5 x 32.5 cm.
Ref: 34317
Price: £ 450
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1590 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 41.5 x 32 cm.
Ref: 34403
Price: £ 500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 49.5 x 34 cm.
Ref: 34409
Price: £ 480
By J.B.Vrients / A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1608-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 51 x44 cm.
Ref: 35401
Price: £ 600
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573 -1579. copperplate, coloured, 47 x 35 cm.
Ref: 17183
Price: £ 300
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34259
Price: £ 450
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1592-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34267
Price: £ 340
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1573-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34269
Price: £ 340
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1612. Copperplate, uncoloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34271
Price: £ 320
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 46 x 33.5 cm.
Ref: 37840
Price: £ 750
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 49 x 34.5 cm.
Ref: 37841
Price: £ 750
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 46 x 33 cm.
Ref: 37851
Price: £ 750
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1590 -1601. copperplate, coloured, 45.5 x 35.5 cm.
Ref: 37873
Price: £ 500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 44 x 35 cm.
Ref: 37846
Price: £ 3500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1595 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 34 x 51 cm.
Ref: 34265
Price: £ 500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 40 x 31 cm.
Ref: 37848
Price: £ 800
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 51 x 36 cm.
Ref: 34148
Price: £ 800
Africa Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1595. copperplate, uncoloured, 51 x 37.5 cm.
Ref: 37599
Price: £ 1750
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1592. copperplate, coloured, 49.5 x 32.5 cm.
Ref: 29800
Price: £ 520
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1584 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 46 x 33 cm.
Ref: 34130
Price: £ 600
Asia Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 49 x 35 cm.
Ref: 34140
Price: £ 700
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 49 x 32 cm.
Ref: 37845
Price: £ 500
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1584 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 50 x 37 cm.
Ref: 34138
Price: £ 750
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 46.5 x 35 cm.
Ref: 34150
Price: £ 1600
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1584 -1597. copperplate, coloured, 47 x 37 cm.
Ref: 37735
Price: £ 5200
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570 -1608. copperplate, uncoloured, 50 x 35 cm.
Ref: 36628
Price: £ 2800
America Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1587 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 48.5 x 38.5 cm.
Ref: 34660
Price: £ 5200
By A.Ortelius / P.Galle of Antwerp 1598 -1601. copperplate, coloured, 10.5 x 10 cm.
Ref: 38023
Price: £ 380
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1584 -1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 46.5 x 34 cm.
Ref: 34134
Price: £ 2500
West Indies Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579 -1598. copperplate, coloured, 50 x 39 cm.
Ref: 27326
Price: £ 1200
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1579-1612. Copperplate, coloured, 47 x 36 cm.
Ref: 35079
Price: £ 1250
British Isles Maps
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570-1612. copperplate, uncoloured, 49.5 x 34.5 cm.
Ref: 29327
Price: £ 1250
By A.Ortelius / J.B.Vrients of Antwerpen 1606-1612. copperplate, coloured, 56.5 x 43 cm.
Ref: 34127
Price: £ 5000
By A.Ortelius of Antwerp 1570. copperplate, coloured, 49.5 x 34.5 cm.
Ref: 37844
Price: £ 2600
Portraits and the Map Trade
![[Portrait] Abraham Ortelius](/mapimages/newmaplist/34118.jpg)
By A.Ortelius / P.Galle / J.B.Vrients of Antwerp 1579 -1612. copperplate, coloured, 21 x 32 cm.
Ref: 34118
Price: £ 600