PAULUS SWAEN OLD & RARE MAPS

We specialize in rare maps, atlases, globes, travel posters, master prints, and decorative prints from the 16th to 18th centuries and offer antique maps from all parts of the world, produced by renowned cartographers such as Ortelius, Mercator, Blaeu, Janssonius, Hondius, Visscher, and de Wit. The items listed in our BuyNow catalog are available for immediate sale. 
Paulus Swaen was founded by current owner Pierre Joppen. Every sold item has 48 years of primary research behind every attribution and condition description. Each item will receive a certificate of authenticity and we offer a lifetime guarantee on all our items. 
The high standards of our map and atlas collection are world-renowned.


Catalog of old maps and prints

Swaen BuyNow CATALOG

Our BuyNow-catalog offers immediate sale items, and no commission is charged. The catalog includes old maps of the World - America - Asia - Europe - Africa - Medieval Manuscripts - Nuremberg Chronicle - Prints - Posters, atlases, globes, etc.
Our stock is updated weekly, and our most recent additions are conveniently displayed in our "Latest Listings".
Have a look at our Gallery highlights or our Curated Collection of carefully selected old and rare maps, all graded 8-10 stars in the HiBCoR grading system.

Latest Listings

Latest Listings & Updates

You can always check our latest listings page. It is updated daily and you see what we’ve recently added. Let's take a look at some rare maps we've recently acquired.
Join our newsletter and be the first to be notified of new acquisitions and get exclusive offers.
Feel free to contact us using the contact form, Chat on WhatsApp, or Social Media.


Highlights

Gallery Highlights

In this highlights section of the BuyNow catalog, we present some personal favorites from our large stock of authentic maps, atlases, prints, globes, posters and Medieval manuscripts.
The items are immediately available, and no commission is charged.

Amsterdam Map Fair

Amsterdam Map Fair, 12 September

Paulus Swaen will be exhibiting at the 3rd Amsterdam Map Fair in the Maritime Museum on September 12, 2026. Please check out some of the highlights we will bring to the fair

My Collection+

My Collection+

Now you can save any of your favorite items from our BuyNow catalog, Latest Listings or Archive in one place. Build your own Virtual Collection. It is free and you can delete an item at any time. Previously acquired items are automatically added to the My Collection+ list.

mapping of

The Mapping of . . .

We have created some short articles on the mapping of Arabia, Australia, Canada, China, Hungary, the Invasion of Minorca, Japan, Korea, Malta, the Mer de l'Ouest, the Northwest Passage, Poland, Russia, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Ukraine, among other regions.

catalog archive

Archive of sold items

Paulus Swaen maintains an archive of sold items, including images. Most map images are not subject to copyright and can be used freely, as they are in the public domain. These historical prices can help explain the pricing development of old maps.


Articles about maps

Read our short articles

If you are interested in the backgrounds of antique maps, prints, mapmakers, etc., then you should read our short but informative articles >>>>
Or about posters, old prints, Nuremberg Chronicle, optical prints, medieval manuscripts, etc.



Featured Listings

[Magazine including pictorial world map, Carriers of the New Black Plague by William Cotton.]

1938 KEN MAGAZINE. - [Magazine including pictorial world map, Carriers of the New Black Plague by William Cotton.]

$250 / ≈ €219
Maker: KEN MAGAZINE.
Date: Chicago, April 7th, Vol.1 No.1 1938

 


20 advertising gouaches for tobacco industry.

1930 PICHON, R. (Workshop). - 20 advertising gouaches for tobacco industry.

$15000 / ≈ €13167
Maker: PICHON, R. (Workshop).
Date: Paris, ca. 1930

 


Carte du Palatinat du Rhin.

1688 JOLLAIN, F. - Carte du Palatinat du Rhin.

$2000 / ≈ €1756
Maker: JOLLAIN, F.
Date: Paris, ca. 1688

 


Nova Belgica et Anglia Nova.

1644 BLAEU, W. - One of the earliest maps to concentrate solely on this area of the colonies, excluding Virginia and the extreme northeast coastline of the United States.

$3000 / ≈ €2633
Maker: BLAEU, W.
Date: Amsterdam, 1644

 


Région arctique.

1877 VIVIEN DE SAINT MARTIN, L. - Map of the North Pole, together with the often missing overlay with the Arctic expedition of Captain Nares.

$250 / ≈ €219
Maker: VIVIEN DE SAINT MARTIN, L.
Date: Paris, Hachette, 1877

 


Sumatra.

1556 GASTALDI, G. / RAMUSIO, J. B. - Sumatra.

$1250 / ≈ €1097
Maker: GASTALDI, G. / RAMUSIO, J. B.
Date: Venice, 1556

 


Popular Listings

Chinese advertising poster for Red Lion cigarette brand.

1960 ASIATIC LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS - Chinese advertising poster for Red Lion cigarette brand.

$100 / ≈ €88
Maker: ASIATIC LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PRESS
Date: Shanghai, 1950/1960

 


A rare suite of 12 original etchings by Martin van Maele to the famous work by Edmond Haracourt.

1883 VAN MAELE, M. - A rare suite of 12 original etchings by Martin van Maele to the famous work by Edmond Haracourt.

$1500 / ≈ €1317
Maker: VAN MAELE, M.
Date: Nevers, Brussels, 1882,1883

 


Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula.

1680 PITT, M. / SWART, S. / JANSSONIUS VAN WAESBERGHE, J. - Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula.

$6000 / ≈ €5267
Maker: PITT, M. / SWART, S. / JANSSONIUS VAN WAESBERGHE, J.
Date: Oxford, 1680

 


[Anti capitalism Soviet Union propaganda poster]

1974 THE FIGHTING PENCILS - [Anti capitalism Soviet Union propaganda poster]

$100 / ≈ €88
Maker: THE FIGHTING PENCILS
Date: Leningrad, 1974

 



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