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

View of the harbour of Taloo, in the island of Eimeo.

1808 WEBBER, J. - View of the harbor of Taloo, in the island of Eimeo.

$1000 / ≈ â‚¬872
Maker: WEBBER, J.
Date: London, Boydell and Co., 1808

 


Magnae Prussiae Ducatus Tabula denuo correcta et in lucem edita per Nicolaum Visscher.

1690 VISSCHER, N. - Magnae Prussiae Ducatus Tabula denuo correcta et in lucem edita per Nicolaum Visscher.

$1500 / ≈ â‚¬1307
Maker: VISSCHER, N.
Date: Amsterdam, 1690

 


Carte des côtes du Golfe du Mexique compris entre la pointe sud de la presqu'Ile de la Floride et la pointe nord de la presqu'Ile d'Yucatan:...

1803 LE DÉPÔT GÉNÉRAL DE LA MARINE - Carte des côtes du Golfe du Mexique compris entre la pointe sud de la presqu'Ile de la Floride et la pointe nord de la presqu'Ile ...

$2000 / ≈ â‚¬1743
Maker: LE DÉPÔT GÉNÉRAL DE LA MARINE
Date: Paris, 1800/1803

 


De Zee-Kuste vant Landt te Noort-oosten sorterende onder Norweghen ende eendeels onder Sweden alsoe tlandt aldaer in zijn gedaente is, van Distelberch tot Waersberghe.

1585 WAGHENAER, L.J. - De Zee-Kuste vant Landt te Noort-oosten sorterende onder Norweghen ende eendeels onder Sweden alsoe tlandt aldaer in zijn gedaente is, van Diste...

$3000 / ≈ â‚¬2615
Maker: WAGHENAER, L.J.
Date: Leiden, Plantijn, 1585

 


Theatrum belli in America Septentrionali. II. foliis comprehensum jussu Acad. Reg. Scient. et Eleg. Litt. exhibet I. C. Rhode Ac: Geogr.

1761 RHODE, I.C. - Two-sheet map of the northeastern part of the United States and Eastern Canada from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic Seaboard, published during ...

$8500 / ≈ â‚¬7409
Maker: RHODE, I.C.
Date: Berlin, 1761

 


(Art-déco gouache)

1930 PICHON, R. (Workshop). - (Art-déco gouache)

$750 / ≈ â‚¬654
Maker: PICHON, R. (Workshop).
Date: Paris, ca. 1930

 


Popular Listings

Chinese advertising poster for Red Lion cigarette brand.

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

$100 / ≈ â‚¬87
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 / ≈ â‚¬1307
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 / ≈ â‚¬5230
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 / ≈ â‚¬87
Maker: THE FIGHTING PENCILS
Date: Leningrad, 1974

 



newsletter