ANTIQUE MAPS and PRINTS

After more than a quarter of a century in the Trade, we are now retired and the Postaprint Website is no longer available.
However this collection of Reference Pages is being left on line, as we hope you will find them to informative and helpful. They provide details of many of the maps, books and engravings we had the pleasure of dealing in over so many years.
For a complete  index of all such Reference Pages PLEASE DO CLICK HERE.
My wife's store on eBay offers many delightful antiquarian maps & prints & engravings.

	Do visit JULIE'S ANTIQUE PRINTS A wide range of genuine antique engravings, maps, prints, lithographs and books.
EMAIL ENQUIRIES PLEASE DO NOT ASK FOR VALUATIONS, OPINIONS OR APPRAISALS. I DO NOT, REPEAT NOT, EXPRESS OPINIONS ON ITEMS I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY SEEN. PLEASE VISIT OUR HELPFUL APPRAISALS PAGE	SITE INDEX CHECK MY ON-LINE INVENTORY

A SHORT GLOSSARY AND EXPLANATION OF SOME CARTOGRAPHIC TERMS

We supply genuine historical maps and prints by mail order - all are eminently suitable for framing and are offered On Approval.

THE MAIN PRINTING PROCESSES

Over the centuries there have been 3 main methods to prepare the 'plate' from which both text and images were printed

RELIEF (Wood engravings)

These involved using WOOD as the material on which the image to be printed was created.

The wood was cut away from the area which was NOT to be printed, leaving the image to be printed standing up from the 'block', as it was called. In many cases, notably by the Illustrated London News, Harpers, and the numerous similar publications throughout the world, several smaller blocks were made and then joined to form a single larger print.

INTAGLIO ( Copper and steel engravings)

Up to about 1830, COPPER was used. Then STEEL, which was more durable and enabled many more copies to be printed from the original 'plate'.

The image was cut INTO the metal, in 'reverse' or 'mirror' of the original drawing. This was done by using special engraving tools. ETCHINGS were created by using acid to burn away the metal.

LITHOGRAPHY ( Surface printing )

This process was invented at the end of the 18th century, but did not come into common use until the latter part of the 19th century, when the process was adapted to mechanisation.

The design was drawn on to a flat STONE surface, using a greasy ink, which was then 'fixed' chemically.

COLOURING

The very earliest maps and engravings, by such a Sebastian MUNSTER, in the 16th Century, were never intended to be coloured.

It was not until the 17th Century, when the superb maps by BLAEU and others were individually coloured by hand at that time. The depth and splendour of some of the early colours was based on the preparation of pigments, some of which are not now available - a lost art.

ORIGINAL COLOUR

Maps and prints which were coloured at the time of printing. Some care must be taken when buying these, to ensure that no oxydization has taken place - Greens and browns in particular tend to 'burn' through the paper. You should always hold any item you are interested in up to the light, to check not just for any such 'burning', but also to see whether there are any defects, such as small worm holes, evidence of repairs, etc.

LATER COLOUR

Many antique maps or prints that were originally published uncoloured, have had modern colouring applied, or can be coloured to order. Normally a builder's 'size' will be applied to the surface of the print before colouring, to prevent the paint 'burning' the paper.

It is very much a matter of personal taste, as to whether you have any pieces coloured. The purists will argue that the map or engraving should be left in its original state. Others may prefer the added enjoyment of seeing their collection in attractive colours, particularly when the intention is to matt and frame them for display in the home or work place.

AUTHENTICATION

As ever, in the world of Antiques, your primary protection is the integrity, expertise and reputation of the Dealer. Having spent many years in the map and print trade, we have rarely encountered anything that approached a forgery. It is perhaps the feel of the paper, the crispness of the printed impression that distinguish the genuine article. Whenever possible, Postaprint provides a photostat of the Title page of the Atlas or Book from which the map or print came.

Modern reproductions are of course on the market, but these are normally quite recognisable as such, indeed are so modern in appearance as to be readily distinguished from an original.

Restoration is another matter. So much antique furniture has been restored or 'married' over the years, that to find a piece in truly original condition is becoming quite rare. Some antique maps may have had minor repairs carried out to, say, a slightly torn fold. It is ALWAYS advisable to hold anything you are considering buying up to a bright light - this will quickly reveal any repairs or restoration that may have been carried out.

SOME CARTOGRAPHIC TERMS

• SIZES

• FOLIO - THE OVERALL PAPER SIZE WILL BE AROUND 25x20 INCHES (650x500mm)

• QUARTO [4to] - AN OVERALL SIZE OF ABOUT 13x10 inches (320x250mm). (Roughly equivalent to a modern normal A4 letter heading size)

• OCTAVO [8vo] - THE OVERALL SIZE IS some 7x5 inches (180x125mm)

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• ARTIST - The latin name 'fecit' after a name would imply the artist did both the drawing AND engraving.
• ARTIST - The latin abbreviation 'del', or ' delin' means that the original was DRAWN by.
• CARTOGRAPHER - A map maker or geographer.
• CARTOUCHE - The decorative design, usually surrounding the Title Panel. See further example.
• ENGRAVER - A specialist who transferred the artist's drawing onto the 'plate'. The latin words 'sculp', or 'sculspit' may proceed his name.
• FOXING - A light brown speck or spot which appears on some old maps or prints. Due to aging, and caused by a fungus. Easily cleaned, but cleaning is usually best left to a professional. NEVER attempt to clean a map or engraving which has original colouring.
• LAID DOWN - This process is usually used to protect a damaged map. Great care should be exercised before buying any laid down item. The map or print has been stuck or glued down on to card or other suitable backing.
• PLATE - The wood, copper, steel or lithographic base used to engrave the image. On many prints and marks the 'Plate Mark' is clearly visible. A small indentation in the paper, a few inches inside the outer extremities of the paper. This occurred when the printing 'pressed' the plate onto the paper.
• VIGNETTE - please see our FEATURE PAGE which contains several scanned images of Vignette Views. Some maps contain small vignettes, Particularly those by John TALLIS.
• WATERMARK - A normally invisible emblem and/or date incorporated into the paper when it was made. Held up to the light, the watermark is normally visible. Not all early paper was produced with a watermark.

We are specialist mail order suppliers of collectible historical antique maps and prints.

My name is Julie Bennett and I recently retired to the Bahamas after a career in education in England.

Jacques Bossuet (1627 - 1704), the French Bishop & author, wrote that Geography is one of the principal eyes of History. Such is the fascination of old, historical maps & engravings, that before emigrating, it became my hobby to offer antiquarian items on eBay & I have decided to resume, hoping to make yet more new friends.

My offers include a range of collectables, from decorative fine art, topographical views, pictures and lithographs to rare, scarce vintage ancient & classical county and country maps, historic town and city plans, books and atlases. I offer many examples of famous artists work and of the engravers art through the centuries. You will also find cartography from leading mapmakers, geographical topography, memorabilia & other geographic ephemera for collectors, interior designers & decorators, genealogy researchers as well as retail trade customers and frame shops.
Antique maps and prints make unusual & interesting gift ideas and presents, for birthday, anniversary, children or just for your own collection & pleasure, be it for home wall decor, den, nursery or office presentations!
Ideal for framing.