Antique Maps by Willem Janszoon Blaeu (*1571 - †1638)

Willem Janszoon Blaeu was born 1571 in Alkmaar. He was trained from 1594 to 1596 by the famous danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. 1599 he went to Amsterdam and founded a business as globe maker. Later he started producing map and sea charts, including his first world map in 1605. In 1633 he was appointed Hydrographer for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). His most famous work was the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum sive Atlas Novus of 1635, which was published until 1655 in total six volumes. After Blaeu's death in 1638 his sons Joan and Cornelis continued the business and finished the Atlas Novus and started an even larger work, the Atlas Maior, which reached 12 volumes. In 1672 a fire destroyed the printing house and most of the printing plates. Joan Blaeu died the following year, leaving the business to his three sons Willem (1635-1701), Pieter (1637-1706) and Joan II (1650-1712). While the business began to decline in the hands of his sons, the dominance of the Blaeu publishing house finally ended in 1703 when the V.O.C. stopped publishing maps bearing the Blaeu family name. Some of the surviving plates were bought by F. de Wit and Schenk & Valk.

Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Partis Primae pars altera.
Willem Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1633
Title page of the Netherlands section from the Latin edition of Blaeu's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum , early edition published 1633 in Amsterdam. Architectual facade. Old coloured.
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Partis Primae pars altera.
1633 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12723
Blaeu's title page for Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Printed in Amsterdam in 1633.

490,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Corsica
W. J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1634
First state of Blaeu's map of Corsica, published 1634 in the German edition of Atlas Novus . State in which map itself has no separate title, only letterpress title above. Later editions have...
Corsica
1634 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11438
Coloured map of Corse, Corsica. Printed in Amsterdam by W. J. Blaeu in 1634.

400,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: China Veteribus Sinarum Regio nunc Incolis Tame dicta
J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1634
Blaeu's first Map of China.Old coloured map of China by Willem Blaeu. China is outlined in green and bounded by the Great Wall in the north. Korea is still depicted as an island. The...
China Veteribus Sinarum Regio nunc Incolis Tame dicta
1634 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11508
Old coloured map of China. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Blaeu in 1634.

2 000,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Turcicum Imperium
J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1635
Beautiful old coloured map of the Turkish Empire by Willem Blaeu. Very decorative map of the Ottoman Empire issued during the first half of the 17th Century. The beautiful title cartouche shows...
Turcicum Imperium
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11509
Old coloured map of the Ottoman Empire. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Blaeu in 1635.

1 200,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Madrid [El Escorial]
W. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1635
Woodcut view of the El Escorial by W. Blaeu. Shows the palace and monastery complex Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial in the northwest of Madrid. From Cosmographiae Generalis by Paulus...
Madrid [El Escorial]
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12630
Antique woodcut town view of El Escorial, Madrid. Printed in Amsterdam by W. Blaeu in 1635.

90,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: P. Merulae Cosmographiae Partis II ... Europa & speciatim Hispania describitur.
W. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1635
Titlepage of Cosmographiae Generalis by Paulus Merula. With a small woodcut of a terrestrial and celestial globe on a beam balance. Printed 1635 by Willem Blaeu in Amsterdam.
P. Merulae Cosmographiae Partis II ... Europa & speciatim Hispania...
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12636
Woodcut of a title page. Printed in Amsterdam by W. Blaeu in 1635.

35,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Polonia Regnum, et Silesia Ducatus
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1635
Beautiful old coloured map of Poland and Silesia by Joan Blaeu. With Gdansk (Danzig), Szczecin (Stettin), Krosno Odrzańskie (Crossen), Głogów (Glogau) and Warsaw (Warszawa). Decorated with two...
Polonia Regnum, et Silesia Ducatus
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12967
Old coloured map of Poland and Silesia. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1635.

850,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Comitatus Marchia et Ravensberg
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, circa 1635
Antique map of the counties of Mark and Ravensberg by W. J. Blaeu. At the bottom centre a large cartouche with the coats of arms of the two counties. At the bottom left a small map of the county of...
Comitatus Marchia et Ravensberg
1635 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12973
Coloured map of Mark and Ravensberg. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu circa 1635.

380,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Wirtenberg Ducatus
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1638
Antique map of Württemberg by Joan Blaeu. Shows Southern Germany between Offenburg, Sigmaringen, Ulm and Heidelberg with Esslingen in the centre. Decorated with a title cartouche and a coat of...
Wirtenberg Ducatus
1638 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12968
Coloured map of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1638.

390,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Asia noviter delineata
Amsterdam, 1641-42
One of the most beautiful maps of Asia of the 17th century.Willem Blaeu's map of Asia is one of the most beautiful maps of the continent published during the 17th century. It features ten...
Asia noviter delineata
1641 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12856
Antique map of Asien with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1641 in Amsterdam.

3 400,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula auct: Guiljelmo Blaeuw.
Amsterdam, 1641-49
One of the Most Famous World Maps of Dutch Cartography with Stunning Old Colours.Perhaps the finest world map ever printed. This map represents the apogee of seventeenth century Dutch...
Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula auct:...
1641 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12865
Old coloured world map with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1643 in Amsterdam.

14 000,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Alemannia sive Suevia Superior A. Christophoro Hurtero.
J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1642-43
Nice old coloured copper engraved map of Swabia by WJ Blaeu. The west-oriented map shows the Lake Constance and the Allgäu Alps and Vorarlberg left side and the Danube on the right third of the...
Alemannia sive Suevia Superior A. Christophoro Hurtero.
1642 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11152
Old coloured map of Swabia, Baden-Württemberg. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Blaeu in 1642.

420,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Novus Atlas, das ist Welt-beschreibung mit schönen newen aussfuehrlichen Land-Taffeln in Kupfer...
Johannes & Cornelius Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1642
Title page of the Netherlands section from the German edition of Blaeu's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum , published 1642 in Amsterdam. Architectual facade. Old coloured, fully high-lighted with gold leaf.
Novus Atlas, das ist Welt-beschreibung mit schönen newen aussfuehrlichen...
1642 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12700
Blaeu's title page for Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Printed in Amsterdam in 1642.

390,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Tabula Magellanica, qua Tierrae del fuego cum celeberrimis fretis a F. Magellano et I. Le Maire...
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1643-50
Blaeu's splendid map of Tierra de Fuego with the Strait of Magellan.Old coloured sea chart of Tierra de Fuego with the Strait of Magellan and Le Maire Strait by Willem Blaeu. From the French...
Tabula Magellanica, qua Tierrae del fuego cum celeberrimis fretis a F....
1643 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11765
Old coloured sea chart of the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1643.

1 250,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Europa recens descripta a Guilielmo Blaeuw
Amsterdam, 1644-1655
Blaeu's famous Map of Europe with Beautiful Old Colours.A striking and highly decorative map of Europe by Willem J. Blaeu, produced at the height of the Golden Age of Dutch mapmaking. With...
Europa recens descripta a Guilielmo Blaeuw
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12753
Old coloured map of Europe with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published 1644-55 in Amsterdam.

4 600,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Stiria Steyrmarck
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1644-50
Antique map of Styria by Joan Blaeu. Showing Styria with adjacent provinces. With Leoben, Kapfenberg, Bruck an der Mur and Feldbach, Graz in the centre. Above right a beautiful title cartouche with...
Stiria Steyrmarck
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12951
Coloured map of Styria, Steiermark. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1644.

420,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Ceretica sive Cardiganensis comitatus
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, after 1645
Antique map of Ceredigion by Joan Blaeu. Shows the historic county of Cardiganshire / Ceredigion in the west of Wales. Decorated with two cartouches, several coats of arms, sailing ships and two...
Ceretica sive Cardiganensis comitatus
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12651
Old coloured map of Ceredigion, Cardiganshire. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1645.

350,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Partis Primae pars altera.
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1645
Title page of the Netherlands section from the Latin edition of Blaeu's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum , published 1645 in Amsterdam. Architectual facade. Old coloured.
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, sive Atlas Novus. Partis Primae pars altera.
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12722
Blaeu's title page for Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Printed in Amsterdam in 1645.

420,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Americae nova Tabula
Amsterdam, 1645-65
One of the most sought after maps of America.A stunning old colored example of Willem J. Blaeu's map of America from the Golden Age of Dutch Cartography. With decorative panels of portraits...
Americae nova Tabula
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12854
Antique map of America with borders by Willem J. Blaeu. Published around 1645 in Amsterdam.

5 900,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Maritima Brasiliae Universae - Qua Patet Orbis
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1647 [1652]
This very rare coastal map of Brazil, issued separately, is based on Joan Blaeu's monumental 1647 wall map of Dutch Brazil. This sheet is the lower left part of the wall map compiled by the German...
Maritima Brasiliae Universae - Qua Patet Orbis
1647 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12969
Old coloured map of Brazil. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1652.

2 900,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Rutlandia Comitatus. Rutlandshire.
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1658-62
Antique map of Rutland by Joan Blaeu. Decorated with two cartouches and several coats of arms. First published in Blaeu's Atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1645. This example was curiously printed...
Rutlandia Comitatus. Rutlandshire.
1658 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12051
Old coloured map of Rutland, England. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1658.

350,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Namurcum comitatus Auctore Iohann Surhonio
Amsterdam, circa 1660
Old coloured copper engraved map of the central part of Belgium by J. Blaeu. Showing the regions around Namur and Dinant. Cartouche with coats of arms and cherubs, unusual compass rose flanked by a...
Namurcum comitatus Auctore Iohann Surhonio
1660 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10413
Old coloured map of Namur. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1660.

160,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Praefecturae de Paraiba, et Rio Grande
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1662
Impressive and coveted map of the coastline in the north-east of Brazil. The map was published for the first time by J. Blaeu in Rerum per octennium in Brasilia by Caspar Barlaeus in 1647 and...
Praefecturae de Paraiba, et Rio Grande
1662 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11769
Old coloured map of Rio Grande do Norte, Paraiba, Brazil. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1662.

1 400,00 €
Details
Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Das Wiflispurgergow. Gerardo Mercatore Auctore.
Amsterdam, 1662
Engraved map of Western Switzerland by Willem Janszoon Blaeu. The map shows the Romandie with the cantons of Vaud and Friborg, Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) in the south, Lake Thun (Thunersee) in the...
Das Wiflispurgergow. Gerardo Mercatore Auctore.
1662 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11774
Old coloured map of the Romandie, Fribourg, Vaud, Lake Geneve. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1662.

350,00 €
Details