Raminagrobis, the cunning old cat of French literature, named by Rabelais and made famous by La Fontaine's fables, meets a little mouse ("souriceau"). The cat is dressed as a swaggering cavalier: a broad hat with red, yellow and blue plumes, a red coat with a blue cape, green breeches, boots and a long sword, his striped tail curling behind him. Before him stands a tiny mouse in a blue coat, red sash and yellow breeches, with a cane in its paw. In the spirit of La Fontaine's "Le Cochet, le Chat et le Souriceau", the young mouse little suspects the danger of the polite gentleman in front of it.

The cat Raminagrobis was a favourite character of the Épinal imagery, starring in Pellerin's picture stories since the 19th century. This image d'Épinal from the Imagerie Pellerin is printed in black and coloured by stencil (pochoir) in bright, flat colours.

Artist:                  La Fontaine's fables

Publisher:          Pellerin, Épinal ("De la Fabrique de Pellerin, Imprimeur-Libraire à Épinal")
Sheet size:          25,3 x 32,8 cm
Year:                     c. 1970
Technique:         print, coloured by stencil (pochoir), on Arches paper

Condition:
Good condition. Bright colours, watermarked paper, deckle edges; light toning and a few small spots in the margins.
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This is an original print published by the Imagerie Pellerin in Épinal circa 1970 and NOT a modern photographic reproduction.

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

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Cadet Roussel, the comic hero of one of France's best-loved songs, "Cadet Rousselle" (1792), whose refrain the caption quotes: "Ah! ah! ah! oui vraiment, Cadet Rousselle est bon enfant!" The song is said to have been inspired by Guillaume Joseph Rousselle, a court bailiff of Auxerre, and its verses mock his three houses, three coats and three hats, none of them quite right.

Here he strides along in his famous eccentric outfit: a huge bicorne hat, a lorgnette on a long handle, a ruffled shirt, a yellow tailcoat flapping in the wind, a red sash with dangling watch fobs, blue breeches and striped stockings. His red umbrella is torn, with swallows perched on top, and a dog and a cat trot at his heels.

An image d'Épinal from the Imagerie Pellerin in Épinal, printed in black and coloured by stencil (pochoir) in bright, flat colours. It is printed on fine Arches mould-made paper with deckle edges and the "Arches" watermark, made at the historic paper mill of Arches, just a few kilometres from Épinal. A copy of this image in the Museum Europäischer Kulturen in Berlin is recorded as printed in 1970 from the original woodblock.

Artist:                   Guillaume Joseph Rousselle

Publisher:          Pellerin, Épinal ("De la Fabrique de Pellerin, Imprimeur-Libraire à Épinal")
Sheet size:          25,3 x 32,8 cm
Year:                     c. 1970
Technique:         print, coloured by stencil (pochoir), on Arches paper

Condition:
Good condition. Bright colours, deckle edges; light toning and a few small spots in the margins.
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This is an original print published by the Imagerie Pellerin in Épinal circa 1970 and NOT a modern photographic reproduction.

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post c. 1970 – Pellerin – Cadet Roussel appeared first on Antique Maps.

Puss in Boots, the clever cat of Charles Perrault's famous tale (1697), shown as a swaggering musketeer. He wears a white ruff, a blue doublet trimmed with gold, a scarlet cape, pale blue breeches and tall black boots with spurs, with a sword at his side, and he sweeps off his plumed hat in a bow.

An image d'Épinal from the Imagerie Pellerin in Épinal, the most famous maker of French popular prints. The image is printed in black and coloured by stencil (pochoir) in the bright, flat colours typical of Épinal prints. It is printed on fine Arches mould-made paper with deckle edges and the "Arches" watermark, made at the historic paper mill of Arches, just a few kilometres from Épinal, rather than on the ordinary paper of the everyday prints. A cheerful decorative print, perfect for a child's room or for lovers of cats and fairy tales.

Artist:                  Charles Perrault

Publisher:          Pellerin, Épinal ("De la Fabrique de Pellerin, Imprimeur-Libraire à Épinal")
Sheet size:          25,3 x 32,8 cm
Year:                     c. 1970
Technique:         print, coloured by stencil (pochoir), on Arches paper

Condition:
Good condition. Bright colours, deckle edges, watermark "Arches"; light toning and a few small spots in the margins.
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This is an original print published by the Imagerie Pellerin in Épinal circa 1970 and NOT a modern photographic reproduction.

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post c. 1970 – Pellerin – Le Chat Botté appeared first on Antique Maps.

A classic "image d'Épinal" from the Pellerin imagerie in Épinal, Lorraine, the best-known producer of French popular prints. This "Degrés des Ages" (Steps of the Ages) was designed in 1826. Its block was cut by François Georgin, Pellerin's master woodcutter, whose initials "G.F." appear at the bottom. It was printed from the woodblock and coloured by hand through stencils (au pochoir), which gives the bold, flat colours typical of Épinal prints. This impression, on laid paper and with the early imprint "De la Fabrique de Pellerin, Imprimeur-Libraire à Épinal", dates from the first years of the block.

The image presents the ages of life as a staircase. Couples climb the steps from childhood to the summit at fifty and then go down towards old age: "Adolescence" (10 years), "Jeunesse" (20), "Age viril" (30), "Age de maturité" (40), "Age de discrétion" (50), "Age déclinant" (60), "Age de décadence" (70), "Age caduc" (80) and "Age de décrépitude" (90). The top step carries the subtitle "Le cours de la vie de l'homme, ou l'homme dans ses différens âges." The figures wear the fashions of the First Empire and the Restoration: high-waisted dresses and bonnets, top hats, and an officer in a bicorne with epaulettes.

At lower left the cycle begins with "Enfance", a baby in a cradle, and "Age de puérilité", a four-year-old in a baby walker. At lower right it ends at "100 ans. Age d'imbécilité ou d'enfance", with an aged couple in bed and an angel and a winged devil beside them. Under the arch of the steps is the "Jugement universel" (Last Judgement): God the Father in a radiant triangle between trumpeting angels and, below, the flames of hell crowded with demons and the damned.

A charming and much-loved subject of French popular imagery, full of period detail.

Artist:                   François Georgin (1801–1863)

Publisher:          Pellerin, Épinal ("De la Fabrique de Pellerin, Imprimeur-Libraire à Épinal")
Sheet size:          63,5 x 44,1 cm
Year:                     c. 1740
Technique:        Woodcut, colored by stencil (au pochoir)

Condition:
Good, original condition. Strong impression on laid paper, with bright stencil coloring. Light toning, with a browned band and some spotting along the left margin; minor soiling in the margins.
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This is an original antique copper engraving published in circa 1740 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post c. 1830 – Pellerin – Degrés des Ages appeared first on Antique Maps.

A fine print by Johann Elias Ridinger of Augsburg, the greatest animal and hunting artist of 18th-century Germany. It comes from his celebrated series of remarkable stags, "Genaue und richtige Vorstellung der wundersamsten Hirschen sowohl als anderer besonderlicher Thiere, welche von grossen Herren selbst gejagt, geschossen und gefangen worden". It is signed in the plate "Johan Elias Ridinger delineavit et Sculpsit Aug. Vind.", meaning drawn and engraved by Ridinger himself in Augsburg.

The print records a real hunting trophy. A huge stag stands in profile on a forest track, carrying an extraordinary, irregular set of antlers with 46 points; the left beam ends in a broad, palm-shaped crown. Behind it lies a wooded, hilly landscape with a fenced field.

The engraved inscription reads: "Dieser Hirsch von 46. Enden, und der bey 550. ℔ gewogen, ist am 31. Augusti 1736. von des Herrn Herzog Franz Josiae zu S. Coburg-Saalfeld Hoch-Fürstl. Durchl. anderthalb Stunden von der Fürstl. Residenz Coburg in denen so genannten Moggenbrunner Feldbüschen in einem Kessel Jagen geschossen worden."

In English: this stag of 46 points, weighing about 550 pounds, was shot on 31 August 1736 by Duke Franz Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. It was killed an hour and a half from the ducal residence at Coburg, in the Moggenbrunn field thickets, during a "Kesseljagen", a ring hunt in which the game is driven into an encircled area.

Two tables on either side give its measurements in Schuh and Zoll (feet and inches): 6 Schuh 7 Zoll in total length with the head and 4 Schuh 2 Zoll high over the back, with the size of the head, ears, muzzle, chest and legs.

Duke Franz Josias (1697–1764) was the ancestor of the Saxe-Coburg line that later gave kings to Belgium and Britain: Leopold I of Belgium was his great-grandson, and Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, his great-great-grandson. Moggenbrunn is today part of Meeder, near Coburg.

A striking and historically documented hunting print, by the master of the genre.

Artist/Publisher:  Johann Elias Ridinger (1698 –  1767)
Sheet size:          36,8 x 28,3 cm
Year:                     c. 1740
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Good condition. Watermarked paper. Strong, dark impression on laid paper, trimmed just inside the platemark with a narrow margin around the engraved border. Light age toning and minor soiling; a small restoration in the inscription, touching the word "Residenz".
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This is an original antique copper engraving published in circa 1740 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post c. 1740 – J. E. Ridinger – Dieser Hirsch von 46 Enden appeared first on Antique Maps.

A decorative text leaf from the last and most extensive German edition of Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia (Cosmographey), printed in Basel by Sebastian Henricpetri in 1628. Pages 1411–1412 of the sixth book carry the opening of Chapter 76, "Littaw", Münster's description of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with three woodcuts: the Lithuanian coat of arms (Vytis), the famous "Wunderbild" monster of 1543, and a portrait of a Lithuanian ruler.

Recto (p. 1411). The upper part closes Münster's account of the Kingdom of Poland: the offices of the royal court and the limits on royal power. The king could not judge the nobility, declare war, make peace, levy taxes or name a successor without the consent of the Estates. Beside this text is the well-known woodcut of the "Wunderbild", a monstrous child said to have been born in 1543 on the feast of the Conversion of St Paul. It had fiery eyes, a nose like an ox horn, animal faces on its chest, dog heads at the elbows and knees, swan's feet and a hooked tail. Münster says it lived for three hours and adds that "some testify that this child was born in Kraków". Known as the Monster of Kraków, it became one of the most widely reproduced images in 16th-century wonder literature.

Below begins the chapter on Lithuania. It opens with a large woodcut shield bearing the Vytis, an armoured knight with a raised sword on a rearing horse, and a decorative initial. Münster describes a country of marshes and forests that merchants could cross only in winter, when the swamps froze over. They found their way "by the stars or the compass", as if at sea. He writes of the oak forests whose timber the Dutch called "Wagenschot" and shipped in great quantities to Dutch and German ports. He also lists Lithuania's wealth in cattle, furs, wax and honey, its unshod horses and black bread, salt brought from Ruthenia, and hard benches for beds (only the nobility had a bearskin). The language, he notes, is close to Polish, many people follow the Greek rite, and some are still pagan. One curious passage describes the custom of the "Ehehülffer" ("marriage helpers").

Verso (p. 1412). The text continues with Vilnius, "the capital of this land". It is a bishop's seat as large as Kraków with its suburbs, though its houses stand apart, with gardens and yards between them as in a village. Münster also mentions the Tatars living near the city, who kept their own language and the Muslim faith, and places Vilnius at 54 degrees of latitude. A short history of Lithuania follows:

Duke Vytenis (Vithen) throws off tribute to the Ruthenians.
Lithuania wars with the Teutonic Order.
Under the brothers Algirdas and Kęstutis, Kęstutis escapes three times from the Knights' captivity.
Jogaila is baptised as Władysław in 1386 and marries the Polish queen.
In the Christianisation of 1387, the sacred fire in Vilnius is put out, the holy groves are cut down, and the cathedral is founded with its high altar on the spot where the eternal fire had burned.

The page ends with the hard lot of the Lithuanian peasants, who worked five days a week for their lord. Münster adds that they never greased their cart axles, so the wagons made "a wondrous harmony" in people's ears. He also names the great magnate families of Radziwiłł and Chodkiewicz. The text is illustrated with a woodcut portrait of a Lithuanian ruler in armour, crowned hat and sceptre.

The woodcut comes from the German edition, woodcut book of Sebastian Münster’s Cosmography, titled “Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder…", published by Sebastian Henricpetri in Basel, 1628.

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Cartographer:        Sebastian Munster​ (1488 – 1552)

Publisher:                 Sebastian Henricpetri
Book size:                 36.7 x 24.3 cm
Year:                          1628
Technique:              woodcut

Condition:
Good condition. Strong impression of text and woodcuts, wide margins. Light age toning and minor spotting, mostly marginal.

This is an original antique woodcut published in 1628 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1628 – S. Munster – Von der Littaw appeared first on Antique Maps.

A large hand-colored copper engraving "Icones synopticae monarchorum, pontificum Romanorum, regum Europaeorum et Romani Imperii electorum ducum principum" (Synoptic images of monarchs, Roman pontiffs, kings of Europe, and prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire).

The figure wears the red, ermine-banded Electoral cap ("Kurhut") rather than a royal crown, and points with his right hand toward a baroque table bearing the papal tiara, imperial crown, and a bishop's crozier — a deliberate visual pairing of spiritual and temporal authority reflecting the Empire's medieval self-image as a joint undertaking of Pope and Emperor. His shoulder-cape, organized by century, lists the Empire's ecclesiastical Electors (the Archbishop-Electors of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne) and the lay Electors of Saxony, the Palatinate, and Brandenburg. The skirt below breaks into dozens of narrow columns, each headed with a princely house and carrying its own dynastic line: the Electors of Bavaria and Hanover (both later additions to the Electoral college), the Kings of Bohemia "simul Elect. Imp. e Domo Austriae" (simultaneously Imperial Electors from the House of Austria, running through Rudolf II, Matthias, Ferdinand II, Ferdinand III, Leopold I, Joseph I, Charles VI, to Maria Theresa), the Dukes of Wolfenbüttel, Lüneburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Saxe-Gotha and its cadet lines (Coburg-Saalfeld, Meiningen, Hildburghausen), the Landgraves of Hesse, the Houses of Savoy, Modena, Parma, and Mantua, and in the side panels, a further roster of lesser Imperial princes — Liechtenstein, Nassau-Siegen, Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, Salm, Solms, Auersperg, and more. The margins carry the heraldic insignia of the Electors' hereditary court offices — Mainz's wheel, a sword for Saxony's Arch-Marshalship, an orb and scepter for the Arch-Treasurer and Arch-Chamberlain — flanking a crown and the chair of state at either side.

The design is credited by A. Scheller ("delin."), engraved by E. Eichel ("sculps."), and published by Tobias Conrad Lotter in Augsburg ("Geogr. excudit Aug. Vind.").

T. C. Lotter married into and took over much of the output of Matthäus Seutter's Augsburg firm, one of the leading German map and print houses of the 18th century; this same composition also circulated earlier under Seutter's own imprint.

Designer:            August Scheller (1719–1790)
Engraver:           Emanuel Eichel (1717–1782)

Publisher:             Tobias Conrad Lotter ( 1717 – 1777 )
Sheet size:             63,5 x 53,5 cm
Year:                        1770
Technique:            copper engraving
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Condition:
Very good condition. Original, contemporary, hand coloring. Few marginal restorations.
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This is an original antique map published in 1770 and not a modern copy or reprint

The post 1770 – T. C. Lotter – Electorum Ducum Principum appeared first on Antique Maps.

A large hand-colored copper engraving illustrating the "Four Monarchies" of the Book of Daniel — the prophetic statue seen in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2), its head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron mixed with clay, each identified with a successive world empire. Lotter's workshop reimagines the dream-statue as a single armored colossus, inscribing the actual list of rulers of each empire directly onto the corresponding body part or armor segment, and pairs each monarchy with its corresponding beast from Daniel's companion vision in chapter 7, shown crouched in the four corners of the composition.

The helmet carries the First Monarchy — the Assyrian, Babylonian, and Median kings (Belus, Ninus, Semiramis, and successors, given a stated total duration of 1636 years) — captioned below as "Prima Monarchia... Leo, Aurum Caput" (Lion, golden head), illustrated by a winged lion. The breastplate carries the Second Monarchy, the Persian kings from Cyrus through Darius III Codomanus (duration 208 years), captioned "Secunda Monarchia... Ursus, Argentum Pectus" (Bear, silver chest), with a bear shown at lower left. The midsection carries the Third Monarchy, Alexander the Great's empire split into its Hellenistic successor kingdoms — the Ptolemies of Egypt, Seleucids of Syria, Antigonids of Macedonia, and the rulers of Asia Minor, each given a full dynastic list — captioned "Tertia Monarchia... Pardalis quatuor capitum, Aes Venter" (Four-headed leopard, bronze belly), illustrated by a four-headed winged leopard at lower right. The legs and feet carry the Fourth Monarchy, Rome, split into "Regnum Orientale" (the Eastern Empire) on one leg and "Imperium Occidentale" (the Western Empire, continuing as the Holy Roman "Imperator Germaniae" from Charlemagne in 800, through to the "Domo Austriaca" — the House of Austria) on the other, captioned "Quarta Monarchia... Bestia cum X cornibus... Pedes partim ferrei partim fictiles" (the beast with ten horns, feet partly iron, partly clay), with a horned monster at lower right; the feet themselves are labeled with the fragmented territories of the post-Roman world — Africa, Syria, Egypt, Greece, and Asia on one foot, Gaul, England, Italy, Spain, and Germany on the other. A symbol-key at upper left ("Clavis ad Characteres" / "Schlüssel zu den Characteren") decodes small planetary marks attached to individual rulers' names, identical in system to the key used on Lotter's companion "Statua Regum Europaeorum."

The design is credited by A. Scheller ("delin."), engraved by E. Eichel ("sculps."), and published by Tobias Conrad Lotter in Augsburg ("Geogr. excudit Aug. Vind.").

T. C. Lotter married into and took over much of the output of Matthäus Seutter's Augsburg firm, one of the leading German map and print houses of the 18th century; this same composition also circulated earlier under Seutter's own imprint.

Designer:             August Scheller (delin.)
Engraver:            Emanuel Eichel (sculps.)

Publisher:             Tobias Conrad Lotter ( 1717 – 1777 )
Sheet size:             63,5 x 53,5 cm
Year:                        1770
Technique:            copper engraving
​
Condition:
Very good condition. Original, contemporary, hand coloring. Few marginal restorations.
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This is an original antique map published in 1770 and not a modern copy or reprint

The post 1770 – T. C. Lotter – Colossus Monarchicus Statua Danielis appeared first on Antique Maps.

A large hand-colored copper engraving showing an allegorical crowned king, scepter in hand, whose entire body serves as a genealogical chart: inscribed across his torso, apron, and legs, organized by century from the 1st through the 18th ("I. Seculum" through "XVIII. Seculum") and by kingdom (Reges Hispaniae, Franciae, Scotiae, Angliae, Poloniae, Sveciae, Daniae, Hungariae, Portugalliae, and others), are the names and regnal dates of Europe's rulers. A separate boxed panel at lower right lists the Tsars of Russia through the 18th century, ending with Catherine II given with no closing date. Each ruler's entry carries a small symbol — sun, planets, or other marks — keyed to a legend at lower left ("Clavis ad Characteres" / "Schlüssel zu den Characteren") that decodes each one: a sun denotes an excellent and virtuous prince, Jupiter a famous and generous one beloved by his people, Mars a warlike ruler (victorious if crowned with a ray), Saturn a cruel one hated by his subjects, and further marks for death in battle, violent death, abdication, deposition, captivity, or madness — an unusually elaborate mnemonic device for compressing centuries of dynastic history onto a single sheet.

The margins carry two heraldic clusters. At upper left, a double-headed Habsburg eagle is surrounded by ten labeled shields for the Austrian hereditary lands — Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Sclavonia, Austria, Burgundy, Styria, Tyrol, and Carinthia — with a plainer, unlabeled eagle repeated just below it, framing the royal crown and scepter resting on a cushion. At right, a grid of further shields corresponds to the kingdoms named in the body text: Portugal's quinas and castles; Hungary's Árpád stripes and patriarchal cross; a quartered England/Great Britain incorporating Ireland's harp, and arms for Castile; France paired with Navarre; quartered heraldry featuring the Eagle (Orzeł Biały) of Poland and the Chaser (Vytis / Pogoń) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; Bohemia crowned lion with a double tail; Denmark with three crowned lions with hearts; coat of arms of the Kingdom of Sardinia, featuring the distinctive "Four Moors" (Quattro Mori).

The design is credited by A. Scheller ("delin."), engraved by E. Eichel ("sculps."), and published by Tobias Conrad Lotter in Augsburg ("Geogr. excudit Aug. Vind.").

T. C. Lotter married into and took over much of the output of Matthäus Seutter's Augsburg firm, one of the leading German map and print houses of the 18th century; this same composition also circulated earlier under Seutter's own imprint.

Designer:            August Scheller (1719–1790)
Engraver:           Emanuel Eichel (1717–1782)

Publisher:             Tobias Conrad Lotter ( 1717 – 1777 )
Sheet size:             63,5 x 53,5 cm
Year:                        1770
Technique:            copper engraving
​
Condition:
Very good condition. Original, contemporary, hand coloring. Few marginal restorations.
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This is an original antique map published in 1770 and not a modern copy or reprint

The post 1770 – T. C. Lotter – Statua Regum Europaeorum appeared first on Antique Maps.

A large, richly detailed copper engraving by Johann Baptist Homann depicting a 96-gun ship-of-the-line (Orlog, from the Dutch "oorlog," war) in full rig at anchor, with a lengthwise cross-section below showing the vessel's interior decks and compartments, each named as sailors of the period would have called them. Surrounding the central image are 17 subsidiary views and diagrams: construction details of a ship's hull and a chaloupe seen from above and in cross-section, a stern ornament ("Hackebord") and bow/figurehead detail, two styles of finished hull model, navigational instruments including a backstaff ("Spiegelbogen"), proportional dividers, a mariner's compass, an equinoctial compass, and a star-course table, plus two views of a "Kameel" or ship-camel — the inflatable/buoyant pontoon device used to lift heavy-draft ships over shallows. A specification panel lists the full hierarchy of a warship's crew, from Admiral-General down to ship's boys, and an extensive nine-column key at the foot identifies every numbered line, stay, and sail on the main ship by name. The sheet is headed "Cum Privilegio Sac. Caes. Majestatis" — the imperial printing privilege — which places this impression after the plate's earliest state, since the first edition (per Sandler's standard Homann bibliography) was issued without it.

Johann Baptist Homann, appointed Imperial Geographer in 1715, was the most prominent German map and print publisher of the early 18th century; this plate was occasionally bound into atlas, but circulated mainly as a separate decorative sheet, and surviving examples are notably less common than his regional maps.

The engraving comes from the atlas “Atlas novus terrarum orbis imperia regna et status exactis tabulis geographice demonstrans...“ published in Nuremberg circa 1720.

Engraver:         Johann Baptist Homann (1664-1724)
Sheet size:           61,5 x 51,0 cm
Year:                     c. 1720
Technique:         copper engraving

Condition:
Good condition. Watermarked paper.

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This is an original antique engraving published circa 1720 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post c. 1720 – J. B. Homann – Orlog oder Kriegs-Schiff appeared first on Antique Maps.

Extremely rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Mikołaj Radziwiłł, known as "Rudy" — the Red — was one of the most powerful men in the 16th-century Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Twice Grand Hetman (1553–1566 and 1576–1584) and Grand Chancellor of Lithuania (1566–1579), he was the brother of Barbara Radziwiłł, whose marriage to King Sigismund II Augustus made her Queen of Poland. In 1564 he led Lithuanian forces to a decisive victory over Muscovite troops at the Battle of Ula — the same year he converted to Calvinism and became one of its leading patrons in the Commonwealth. Five years later, as the lone senator from the Grand Duchy, he refused to sign the 1569 Union of Lublin, objecting to terms he saw as eroding Lithuania's standing within the union with Poland.
The portrait composition has an unusual history of its own. It descends from a design by the Augsburg engraver Dominicus Custos, made for Jacob Schrenck von Notzing's Armamentarium Heroicum — a catalogue of the armor collection assembled by Archduke Ferdinand II of Tyrol at Ambras Castle, first published in Innsbruck in 1601 (German edition, 1603). More than a century later, the Leipzig publisher Moritz Georg Weidmann commissioned fresh plates after these earlier portraits for Franz Christoph von Khevenhüller's Conterfet-Kupferstich, the illustrated companion volume to his monumental Annales Ferdinandei — this sheet, attributed to the engraver Johann Christoph Sysang, among them. It carries the printed plate number 209.
The half-length portrait — turned to the left, head inclined the other way, in plate armor with a sash across the right shoulder — sits in an oval frame within a rectangular border. Above, a ducal coronet rises from plumed mantling flanked by military banners and trumpets; below, an inscribed banderole reading "Nicolaus Radzivil Hertzog zu Dubinki und Bierze / Obrister Feldhauptman des Grosshertzogthumbs Littau" sits amid scrolling acanthus leaves.
Impressions of this exact plate are genuinely scarce. The National Museum — Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in Vilnius, which holds its own copy (a gift of Prince Maciej Radziwiłł), records only four further known examples: three bearing the printed number 209, as here, and one without a number. A fitting piece for collectors of Radziwiłł family material, Grand Duchy of Lithuania history, or 18th-century German portrait-print publishing.

Provenance & references
• Comparable example: National Museum — Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius, inv. VR-1065 (sheet 43.3 × 31.5 cm; gift of Prince Maciej Radziwiłł, 2017)
• Related, earlier-state Custos portraits: Herzog August Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel; Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Braunschweig; Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Kupferstich-Kabinett
• Ferenc, M., Mikołaj Radziwiłł "Rudy" (ok. 1515–1584): działalność polityczna i wojskowa, Kraków, 2008
• Ragauskienė, R., Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės kancleris Mikalojus Radvila Rudasis (apie 1515–1584 m.), Vilnius, 2002
• Katalog portretów osobistości polskich i obcych w Polsce działających, vol. 4, ed. H. Widacka, Warsaw, 1994, p. 168, cat. 4437

Author:                Dominicus Custos (1560–1612)
Sheet size:           33,4 x 20,8 cm
Year:                     1721
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Very good, original condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1721 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1721 – D. Custos – Nicolaus Radzivil appeared first on Antique Maps.

The engraving comes from Homann Heirs atlas “Atlas Novus Terrarum Orbis Imperia Regna et Status Exactis Tabulis Geographice Demonstrans...”, published in Nuremberg, 1737.

Publishing house:              Homann Heirs (1731-1848)
Sheet size:                              58,4 x 51,2 cm
Year:                                         1737
Technique:                             copper engraving

Condition:
Very good condition, contemporary hand coloring, watermarked paper.

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This is an original antique map published in 1737 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1737 – Homann Heirs – Lustlager von Zeithain appeared first on Antique Maps.

Very decorative and rare portrait of Sebastian Münster, engraved by Theodor de Bry (indicated by the monogram letter B visible on the pillar to the right) and published by Jean Jacques Boissard in the book "Icones Virorum Illustrium", Frankfurt 1597.

Münster was born at Ingelheim near Mainz, the son of Andreas Munster. He completed his studies at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen in 1518. He was appointed to the University of Basel in 1527. As Professor of Hebrew, he edited the Hebrew Bible, accompanied by a Latin translation.

His work, the Cosmographia from 1544 was the earliest German description of the world. It had numerous editions in different languages including Latin, French, Italian, English, and even Czech. The last German edition was published in 1628, long after his death. The Cosmographia was one of the most successful and popular books of the 16th century. It passed through 24 editions in 100 years. This success was due to the fascinating woodcuts (some by Hans Holbein the Younger, Urs Graf, Hans Rudolph Manuel Deutsch, and David Kandel). It was most important in reviving geography in 16th century Europe.

Author:                 Theodor de Bry (1528-1593)

Sheet size:            16,7 x 12,7 cm
Year:                       1597
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Very good condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1597 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1597 – T. de Bry – Sebastianus Munsterus Cosmographus appeared first on Antique Maps.

A: A massive Sea Serpent or Whale entwined around a ship. Sailors threw cargo overboard or fired muskets to ward them off.

B: The Sea Orm, an enormous coiled sea serpent menacing a swimming swimmer.

D: A Spouted Whale or Sea Monster with spines, common in early whaling folklore.

F: Land-based Reindeer or elks native to Scandinavia.

G: Various Woodland Mammals including Sables, Martens, and Bears.

H: The Ziphius, a terrifying tusked monster known for devouring seals.

I: Duckbirds (or tree birds). According to 16th-century lore, these birds grew directly out of trees like fruit and swam away once ripe.

K: The Sea Pig, a bizarre tusked and multi-eyed creature reported by sailors in 1537.

L: A fast-moving Whale referred to by Norwegians as a "springhval".

M: Enormous Monstrous Lobsters shown actively capturing a doomed sailor in their claws.

N: A twelve-foot-long tusked Rhino-like Sea Beast that actively hunts down large lobsters.

R: The Onocrotalus (pelican), described as having a large throat sack that sounds like a braying donkey.

S: Clementia (or Rocken/Raya), a giant ray rumored to protect drowning sailors from sea monsters.

T: The Sea Cow/ Sea Buffalo, an amphibious hybrid looking like a cross between a bull and a fish

The woodcut comes from the early Latin edition of Sebastian Münster’s Cosmography, titled “Cosmographiae Universalis Libri VI...", drawn by Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch- Swiss painter and artist,  engraved by Martin Hoffmann, published  by Heinrich Petri in Basel, 1554.
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Cartographer:      Sebastian Munster​ (1488 – 1552)
Sheet size:              40,51 x 31,8 cm
Year:                        1554
Technique:            woodcut

Condition:
Good condition. Very attractive hand coloring. A few restorations of wormholes present.

This is an original antique woodcut published in 1554 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1554 – S. Munster – Monstra Marina appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Henry III of France (1551–1589). He was elected King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1573 but abandoned the Polish throne in 1574 to claim the French crown following the death of his brother, Charles IX. Known for his elegant and sometimes extravagant dress, he frequently wore a distinctive Italian-style toque (the jeweled hat seen in the portrait) and jewelry. The coat of arms Dextre (Left Shield) representing the Kingdom of France (France Modern), Senestre (Right Shield): Divided into two parts to represent the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth: Poland: A eagle & Lithuania: The "Vytis" a knight on a galloping horse, carrying a sword and a shield with a double cross. The shield is surrounded by the collar of the Order of the Holy Spirit (Ordre du Saint-Esprit), which Henry III founded in 1578.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651…” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1672.

Author:                 Balthasar Moncornet (1600 – 1668)
Sheet size:            25,0 x 18,5 cm
Year:                      1650
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Very good condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1650 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1650 – B. Moncornet – Henry 3 appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Stefan Czarniecki (1599–1665), a prominent Polish nobleman and military commander. He was a highly distinguished general and served as the Field Hetman of the Crown for the Kingdom of Poland. Czarniecki is particularly celebrated for his role during the Polish-Russian War and the "Swedish Deluge" (the invasion of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by Sweden).

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651…” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1672.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:            21,6 x 16,7 cm
Year:                      1672
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Very good condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1672 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1672 – M. Merian – Stephan Czarnecius appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of John II Casimir (Jan II Kazimierz Waza; Jonas Kazimieras Vaza). He was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 until his abdication in 1668 as well as titular King of Sweden from 1648 until 1660. The King is wearing sash, armor, lace cravat and Order of the Golden Fleece suspended from a cord around his neck.

The print comes from Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato book “Historia di Leopoldo Cesare, continente le cose piu memorabili successe in Europa, dal 1656 fino al 1670. Descritta dal co. Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato…” published by Johann Baptist Hacque, engraved by Cornelis Meyssens in Vienna,1670.

Author:                Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato (1606 - 1678)
Sheet size:            24,8 x 17,8 cm
Year:                      1670
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good condition. Narrow margins. A few worm traces and holes present.

This is an original antique map published in 1670 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1670 – G. G. Priorato – Giovanni Casimiro appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Prince Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski (1616 – 1667), Count of Wiśnicz and Jarosław. He was a major figure in Polish history, particularly noted for his role during the Swedish Deluge, where he remained loyal to the Polish king. However, he is perhaps most famous for leading the Lubomirski Rebellion (1665–1666) against King John II Casimir, which significantly weakened the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651…” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1672.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:            22,0 x 16,9 cm
Year:                      1672
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Very good condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1672 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1672 – M. Merian – Georgius Sebast Lubomirscius appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Prince Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski (1616 – 1667), Count of Wiśnicz and Jarosław. He was a major figure in Polish history, particularly noted for his role during the Swedish Deluge, where he remained loyal to the Polish king. However, he is perhaps most famous for leading the Lubomirski Rebellion (1665–1666) against King John II Casimir, which significantly weakened the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The print comes from Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato book “Historia di Leopoldo Cesare, continente le cose piu memorabili successe in Europa, dal 1656 fino al 1670. Descritta dal co. Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato…”, engraved by Frans van der Steen, original drawing by Jan de Herdt (signed "I.D. Herdt del"), published by Johann Baptist Hacque in Vienna,1670.

Author:                Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato (1606 - 1678)
Sheet size:            31,5 x 19,9 cm
Year:                      1670
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good condition. Slightly water stained on right margin. Pasted on another paper sheet.

This is an original antique map published in 1670 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1670 – G. G. Priorato – Giorgio Sebastiano Lubomirzki appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of John II Casimir Vasa (Polish: Jan II Kazimierz Waza), first edition, who served as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1648 to 1668. He is depicted in a bust-length portrait wearing plate armor, reflecting his role as a military leader during a period of frequent conflict. Around his neck, he wears the Order of the Golden Fleece.

John II Casimir was the last ruler of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the Swedish Vasa dynasty. His reign was defined by "The Deluge," a series of devastating wars against Sweden and Russia. Eventually, facing political opposition and a lack of support for state reforms, he abdicated the throne in 1668 and moved to France, where he died in 1672.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651...Tom. VI.” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1653.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:           21,6 x 16,7 cm
Year:                     1653
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Very good, original condition. Watermarked paper

This is an original antique map published in 1653 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1653 – M. Merian – Ioannes Casimirus Vasa appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Jonušas Radvila, Radziwiłł (Радзівіл) family, the first edition. The portrait is based on a painting by the court artist Daniel Schultz.

Jonušas Radvila (1612–1655) – the son of the Grand Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania Kristupas Radvila and Ona Kiškaitė. It was descended from the Biržai and Dubingiai branches of the Radvila dukes. The army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania led by Jonušas Radvila achieved several victories against the Cossack rebels of Ukraine. 1655 October 20 together with his cousin Boguslav Radvila and other Lithuanian nobles initiated the Kėdainiai Union.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651...Tom. VI.” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1653.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:           22,0 x 17,3 cm
Year:                     1653
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Very good, original condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1653 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1653 – M. Merian – Janussio Radziwil appeared first on Antique Maps.

Geometry & Instruments: The top-left corner details fundamental geometric terms and shapes (circles, triangles, spheres, etc.) alongside drafting tools like compasses and protractors.
Fortification & Siege Warfare: Central to the sheet are intricate plans for star-shaped fortresses and city defenses. These include diagrams of bastions, trenches, and defensive earthworks used during sieges, such as those during the War of the Spanish Succession.
Artillery & Equipment: The bottom and side margins depict various highly detailed renderings of siege machinery, tools (Arbeits Geraethe), and explosive devices (Ernst-Feuerwerck) used in 18th-century combat.
Topography: Detailed maps of specific fortified cities, such as Landau, are featured to illustrate actual military engineering in the field.

The decorative center-bottom cartouche contains the formal title and publication information, often surrounded by motifs of banners, cannons, and armor.  It includes explanations on the strategic art of besieging cities and fortifications, making it a valuable instructional tool for officers of the era.

The engraving comes from Homann Erben atlas “Atlas Novus Terrarum Orbis Imperia Regna et Status Exactis Tabulis Geographice Demonstrans...”, published in Nuremberg, 1737.

Cartographer:     Homann Erben (1724-1780)
Sheet size:              75,0 x 54,0 cm
Year:                         1737
Technique:            copper engraving

Condition:
Good condition, original hand coloring, watermarked paper. Professionally restored on verso.

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This is an original antique map published in 1737 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1737 – Homann Erben – Kriegs Ingenieur Artillerie Charte appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare title page and first pages from 1st till 14th from Leonhard Euler's atlas, one of the first German atlases intended for use in schools, engraved by Nikolaus Friedrich Sauerbrey, published by Johann Michael Kunst in Berlin, 1783.

Cartographer:    Leonhard Euler (1707-1783)
Sheet size:             45,0 x 37,8 cm
Year:                       1783
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1783 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

The post 1783 – L. Euler – Atlas Geographique (7 pages) appeared first on Antique Maps.

The engraving was designed and etched by Nicolas Guerard. 

Cartographer:    Nicolas de Fer (1646 – 1720)
Sheet size:            34,0 x 29,7 cm
Year:                       1693
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition.
​

This is an original antique map published in 1693 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1693 – N. de Fer – Sphere Royale appeared first on Antique Maps.

The work served as an illustrated treatise on the varieties of military forts and defensive designs used by the French military under royalty. It specifically highlights the complex defensive lines (circumvallation and contravallation) used to surround and pressure a star-shaped fortress during a siege.

The engraving comes from the Nicolas de Fer atlas "Les Forces de l'Europe, ou Description des principales villes, avec leurs fortifications." engraved by Herman van Loon, published in Paris, 1693.

Cartographer:    Nicolas de Fer (1646 – 1720)
Sheet size:             34,0 x 29,7 cm
Year:                       1693
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition.​ Some sheets with waterstaines.

This is an original antique map published in 1693 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1693 – N. de Fer – Fortifications (12 pages) appeared first on Antique Maps.

The work served as an illustrated treatise on the varieties of military forts and defensive designs used by the French military under royalty. It specifically highlights the complex defensive lines (circumvallation and contrevallation) used to surround and pressure a star-shaped fortress during a siege.

The engraving comes from the Nicolas de Fer atlas "Les Forces de l'Europe, ou Description des principales villes, avec leurs fortifications." engraved by Herman van Loon, published in Paris, 1693.

Cartographer:    Nicolas de Fer (1646 – 1720)
Sheet size:             34,0 x 29,7 cm
Year:                      1693
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition.​

This is an original antique map published in 1693 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1693 – N. de Fer – Exagone Fortifie appeared first on Antique Maps.

The work served as an illustrated treatise on the varieties of military forts and defensive designs used by the French military under royalty. It specifically highlights the complex defensive lines (circumvallation and contrevallation) used to surround and pressure a star-shaped fortress during a siege.

The engraving comes from the Nicolas de Fer atlas "Les Forces de l'Europe, ou Description des principales villes, avec leurs fortifications." engraved by Herman van Loon, published in Paris, 1693.

Cartographer:    Nicolas de Fer (1646 – 1720)
Sheet size:             34,0 x 29,7 cm
Year:                      1693
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition.​

This is an original antique map published in 1693 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1693 – N. de Fer – Place appeared first on Antique Maps.

Very decorative copper engraved coat of arms of the Sandrart family. The noble family of Sandrart and the bourgeois Sandrart family trace their lineage back to a common ancestor. They originated in Hainaut (Wallonia) in the Netherlands, which was Spanish until 1713. As early as 1690, the two new citizens Würtz and Sandrart acquired the large electoral manufactory on what would later become Georgenplatz and established a highly successful tobacco manufactory there for decades. The coat of arms of the noble line is blazoned as follows : a chevron accompanied by 3 natural grapes, each with two leaves; on the helmet with mantling, a natural pelican sitting on its nest, feeding its young.

Author:                   unknown
Sheet size:            25,0 x 20,0 cm
Year:                       1680
Technique:           copper engraving

Condition:
Excellent condition. Watermarked paper.

This is an original antique engraving published in 1680 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1680 – unknown – Sandrart appeared first on Antique Maps.

Highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Marie Louise Gonzaga (1611 – 1667), Italian: Maria Luisa, Polish: Ludwika Maria, Lithuanian: Liudvika Marija. She was Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania by marriage to two kings of Poland and grand dukes of Lithuania, brothers Władysław IV and John II Casimir. Together with Bona Sforza, she is regarded as one of the most influential and powerful queen consorts of the Kingdom of Poland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Irenico-polemographia, Sive Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1631 biß 1658 ...” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1685.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:           19,4 x 24,0 cm
Year:                      1685
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Very good, original condition.

This is an original antique map published in 1685 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1685 – M. Merian – Maria de Nevers appeared first on Antique Maps.

Rare and highly detailed copper engraving portrait of Mykhailo Krychevsky or Stanisław Krzyczewski or Krzeczowski - a Polish noble of Ruthenian descent. He served under the command of Grand Hetman of the Crown, Stanisław Koniecpolski, as a hussar captain. He fought for the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth against various Cossack revolts and Crimean Tatar factions. He participated in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth troops in the Battle of Zhovty Vody, where he was captured by the Tatars. B. Khmelnytsky ransomed him, and Krychevski went over to his side. In 1649, already as acting hetman, he set out for the lands of Lithuania, in the Battle of Lojev the Cossack army was defeated, Michal Krychevski himself was seriously wounded, taken prisoner and died.

The print comes from Matthäus Merian book “Theatri Europaei continuati septennium: Das ist, Sieben-Jährige Historisch-außgeführte Friedens- und Kriegs-Beschreibung vom Jahr 1647 biß 1651...Tom. VI.” engraved by Peter Aubri, published in Frankfurt, 1663.

Author:                 Matthaus Merian (1593 – 1650)
Sheet size:           19,5 x 32,7 cm
Year:                     1663
Technique:          copper engraving

Condition:
Good, original condition. Slightly stained.

This is an original antique map published in 1663 and NOT a modern copy or reprint

On your request I will provide a Certificate of Authenticity

The post 1663 – M. Merian – Michael Krzyczewski appeared first on Antique Maps.