Antique Maps And Prints Year In Review

As the year draws to an end, it seems like a good time to look back on some highlights (and lowlights) of the year. But I'm just one voice. Let everyone know what you think! (Anonymously or not). We know from our webstats that lots of people visit this blog. But, as with many blogs or newsgroups, most people don't join in the conversation. We hope at least a few of you will enter into the fun.

The High Points

What are some of the most memorable, or important milestones in 2005 for antique maps and prints? I happen to think that the reopening of the New York Public Library's Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division Map Room, in its art-deco splendor, was a major, and lasting event. But really, there are so many wonderful things going on. The strength of the regional societies. The antique map and antique print fairs. The exhibitions. The new technologies marrying the old with the new. The healthy auction trade, that is so much fun when bidding gets out of control. What do you think?

The Low Points

The E. Forbes Smiley III affair was surely the bottom of the ocean in 2005 for the entire field of antique map collecting. For those who may not know, Mr. Smiley stands accused of stealing rare maps from Yale's Beinecke Library. This affair was, and will continue to be, widely reported, and did real damage to the reputation and image of both dealers and institutions. But will it prove to be a turning point? Will real changes ensue? Post your opinion to the blog and add to the debate. And let's hear about any other low points that anyone cares to mention.

Happy Holidays!

New York Public Library's Restored Map Room Reopens Today

Magnificent Beaux-Art Map Room Returned To Former Glory

The New York Public Library's Map Room, now officially renamed the Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division (that mouthful courtesy of the main donors behind the project), reopens today after a $5 million restoration project.

Largest Map Collection Of Any Public Library In World

The 7,000 square foot map room, home of the largest map collection of any public library in the world (many of which are priceless antique maps) has been restored to its former 1911 Beaux-Art magnificence. The dazzling new map room boasts colorful, historic architecture and decorations - walnut cartouches, blue-gray German marble pillars, glittering chandeliers - that were part of its original, 1911 appearance, but were lost over the years during remodeling and the aging process. The restoration took 9 months to complete, and was a cooperative venture of the above-named sponsors, the federal, and the city governments.

New Security In Place

In the wake of the notorious arrest of E. Forbes Smiley III, on suspicion of stealing antique and rare maps from Yale's Beinecke Library, the New York Public Library has installed new security measures to accompany its magnificent "new" map room. But the Map Division is keeping quiet about just what the security entails. (Refreshing to see a smart move like that!)

New Geographical Search Engine Planned By Map Division

Staff at the Map Division are working to build what sounds like an interesting search engine - a tool that will enable the user to cross-reference maps, or other items held in the Map Room, with other collections in the library, such as historical photographs, building plans, and so forth. That is definitely an idea with merit. Congrats to the Map Division on its restored home, and I for one look forward to visiting this historic space.

Antique Maps & Prints Auction Preview, Week of December 12, 2005

Stalking Audubon's Quadrupeds At Bonhams

For antique maps and prints enthusiasts, the week opens with a sale at Bonhams in London on December 13, their Printed Books and Maps auction. I could see from the catalog cover shot that a set of Audubon's Quadrupeds of North America is featured somewhere in the sale, but where? Sadly, their online catalog is poorly-designed, and not separated into departments. As I clicked through page after page of the Bonham's catalog, I noticed that only about 1 in 10 of their lots are illustrated -- another irritation when you are trying to quickly locate an auction item. Scanning through the offerings, I stumbled on lot 86, Carey and Lea's 1823 Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas, an important atlas for collectors of American antique maps, and surely underpriced at an estimate of 2,000-3,000 pounds sterling. Still no sign of those Quadrupeds. Lots of travel books from all parts of the world, and a nice looking Britannia by William Camden (lot 139, published 1772, estimate 1,000-1,500 pounds). Still no Quadrupeds.

Americana At PBA Galleries

By this time, I was tired of trying to catch a glimpse of Bonham's elusive example of Audubon's Quadrupeds, and decided to zoom over to a website where they know how to put an auction catalog online -- PBA Galleries in San Francisco. PBA Galleries not only puts a fully-illustrated catalog online, they also have a real time bidder tool that allows you to bid online during the live auction. I can personally attest to the fact that it works very well (sometimes too well, as my wallet could confirm). But that's not their fault. And coming on Thursday, December 15 from PBA, part two of their Americana auction -- Books from the Library of Ford Mitchell: Maps and Atlases. While not apparently as full of important antique maps as part one of this sale, nonetheless there are many items of interest to collectors of 19th century Americana, with a good proportion in an affordable price range. If you happen to be looking for a collection of maps, lot 301 is a more or less disbound edition of Tanner's 1845 New Universal Atlas, with an estimate of just $1,000-1,500. I noticed several other lots in this sale that are groups of maps, including some by Colton that included the desirable western maps.

Audubon At Christies

OK, so I couldn't find Audubon's Quadrupeds at Bonhams, but I did find his Birds of America at Christies. Their December 15 Birds of America sale at Rockefeller Plaza features the Providence Athenaeum copy of Audubon's masterwork, certainly one of the finest examples of the great bird book in existence today. With a presale estimate of $5-7 million, this will be a sale that brings out the big guns. It's a one-lot auction, so if you don't win the Birds, you should still have time to visit the Christmas tree at Rock Center.

Dominic Winter Sale

Don't forget to check out the monthly sale at Dominic Winter Galleries in England. This month's auction seems like a bit of a catchall, entitled Printed Books, Maps & Ephemera including Photography, but they have a nice example of Seutter's Recens Edita Totius America Septentrionali siti Delineatio Cura et Sumtibus, ca.1740, previewed on their home page. With the inset of New York, it is estimated to fetch 1,500-2,000 pounds sterling. The Dominic Winter auction is on Wednesday, December 14.

Antique Maps & Prints Events, December & January

December Events

Denver, December 6. Meeting of the Rocky Mountain Map Society. Check their website for time and location.

Chicago, December 8. Meeting of the Chicago Map Society. Location is Newberry Library, at 5:30 PM.

Washington, D. C. December 15. Meeting of the Washington Map Society. Held at 7 PM in the Geography & Map Division of the Library of Congress. Check the society website for details.

January Events

New York, Jan 13. Alice Hudson will present Treasured Maps: Celebrating The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division at 12:30 PM in the South Court Auditorium, New York Public Library, 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. This illustrated lecture accompanies an exhibit of the same name. Features maps and views of New York City.

Washington, D. C. December 15. Meeting of the Washington Map Society. Held at 7 PM in the Geography & Map Division of the Library of Congress. Check the society website for details.

San Antonio, January 22. During the American Library Association midwinter meeting, the Research Libraries Map Collection Management Group and Small Map Collections Discussion Group will hold a meeting on library security. A good idea in the wake of the recent, highly-publicized arrest of E. Forbes Smiley III on suspicion of stealing rare maps from Yale's Beinecke Library. The topic will be Library Security for Map Collections: the Future, co-chaired by David Cobb (Harvard Map Collection) and Alice Hudson (New York Public Library Map Division).

Antique Maps Auction Preview: Week of December 5, 2005

150 Rare And Important Maps And Atlases From The Mark Babinski Collection

That's the aptly-named title of the December 8 auction at Swann Galleries in New York. As Swann's describes the sale: "maps of America by American mapmakers, including atlases, case maps, pocket maps, roll maps and historical literature containing maps".

A Great Auction Packed With American Antique Maps And Atlases

I try not to wax eloquent over auction offerings, but this one is a treasure trove for the collector of American cartographic material. A fascinating accumulation of indeed rare and important material, obviously chosen by a collector with a scholar's eye and sensibility. There are some magnificent cartographic gems in this highly-focused sale. This sale is likely to be the best single source for important, 19th century American antique maps and atlases for some time to come.

The Highlights Of The Atlas Section

Lot 9 is an 1838 Bradford atlas, described as being in excellent condition, and containing an important map of Texas, among others. The estimate is $8,000-12,000. Lot 16 is a rare edition of Matthew Carey's General Atlas. This example is an 1816 edition, with a presale tag of $10,000-15,000. Lot 41 is the extremely important, Henry Popple's 20-sheet Map of the British Empire, published around 1740. This was a map that was used by the likes of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, and has a price tag to match -- the estimate is $40,000-50,000. Lot 44 is Raynal and Zatta's Atlas of North America, with 15 beautifully decorated American maps. (Estimate $10,000-15,000). In addition to lot 48, Tanner's Universal Atlas, is Tanner's Atlas of the United States, an unrecorded atlas, and a subset of Tanner's New Universal, estimated at $10,000-15,000. (Lot 49).

Antique American Maps Worth Seeing

Lot 58 is David Burr's Map of the State of New York, 1834, an important case map, in 24 sections, with presale estimate of $6,000-9,000. This was Burr's second large wall map of New York, and would be republished for the next quarter century. Speaking of large wall maps: how about William Darby's Map of the State of Louisiana, lot 61, published in 1816 by John Melish. Presale estimate $20,000-30,000.

The abundance of riches for the collector of American-made maps continues: rare wall maps of New York by the little-known John Eddy; lot 73, Melish's 1822 wall map of Pennsylvania, the rare first edition, estimated at $40.000-60,000; Mitchell and Young's wall map of the United States; Sauthier's 1779 map of New York, ($20,000-30,000); Tannner's United States of America ($10,000-15,000). If I were to try and list all the highlights, I'd almost have to reproduce the whole catalog. Which I don't intend to do. So, even if you can't attend the sale, you can certainly mouse over to Swann's website, and enjoy a browse through this magnificent collection.