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 catalogare available for immediate sale and every sold item will receive a certificate of authenticity. We offer a lifetime guarantee on all our items.
The high standards of our map and atlas collection are world-renowned.
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 & 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.
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.
Mapmakers and explorers
Sometimes, maps become more famous than their makers. Many cartographers only become famous after they’ve created a masterpiece.
Still, others make a famous map, then disappear from history forever.
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.
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.
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 historically achieved prices can help understand the pricing development of old 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
Americae Pars Magis Cognita. Chorographia nobilis & opulentae Peruanae Provinciae, atque Brasiliae, . . . MDXCII
First state. Although a map of South America it does include much of what is now the southern United States. There are two elaborate, strap-work cartouches with the one a...
Date: Frankfurt, 1592
Anamorphose.
Perspective anamorphosis is an ingenious perspective technique that gives a distorted image of the subject represented in a picture when seen from the usual viewpoint but...
Date: France, ca. 1900
Pianta Geografia delle Isole di Malta, e Gozo della Sagra Religione Gerosolimitana di S. Giovanni delineata, ed incisa in quest anno 1761.
A rare map of Malta and Gozo printed by the priest Antonio Bova (1688 - 1775), who was active as engraver in Palermo ca. 1727-1773. He produced cartographic engravings, s...
Date: Bova Ant., Palermo, 1761
![Province de Fo-Kien. [Includes West Coast of Taiwan]](/uploads/cache/43503-250x250.jpg)
Province de Fo-Kien. [Includes West Coast of Taiwan]
An important map of Fujian Province shows the East Coast of China and the West Coast of Taiwan. It shows that for the Manchu Qing, only the western half of Formosa was co...
Date: The Hague, H. Scheurleer, 1737
Pascaarte, van de Zuijderzee, Vliestroom, Vlie, en Amelandergat…
Very rare chart of the Dutch Zuiderzee, here in its rare 5th state (o f6). Showing the coastlines along the Dutch inner sea. Two compass roses indicate north to the left ...
Date: Amsterdam, c. 1660
Tierra Nueva.
Uncommon first edition of this early map of the east coast is an enlarged version of Giacomo Gastaldi map published in 1548. Nomenclature and cartography are unchanged, w...
Date: Venice, 1561
Popular Listings
Chinese advertising poster for Red Lion cigarette brand.
This poster, an advertisement for the Red Lion Cigarettes brand from the 1930s, melds the meticulous detail of traditional Chinese painting with the craft of color lithog...
Date: Shanghai, 1950/1960
A rare suite of 12 original etchings by Martin van Maele to the famous work by Edmond Haracourt.
A rare suite of 12 original etchings by Martin van Maele to the famous work by Edmond Haracourt. The series was published anonymously in a small edition. These etchings a...
Date: Nevers, Brussels, 1882,1883
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula.
A beautifully decorative world map taken from the 'English Atlas' by Moses Pitt and Steven Swart, based on an earlier engraved world map by Pieter van den Keere ca. 1630,...
Date: Oxford, 1680
![[Anti capitalism Soviet Union propaganda poster]](/uploads/cache/47032-250x250.jpg)
[Anti capitalism Soviet Union propaganda poster]
Propaganda mini anti-capitalism poster published in Russia during The Cold War. By the 1960’s and 1970’s, outrageous practices in Soviet bureaucracy flourished. Poor plan...
Date: Leningrad, 1974
