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: Suecia, Dania, et Norvegia, Regna Europae Septentrionalia
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1643-50
Beautiful antique map of Scandinavia by Willem Blaeu. With a large title cartouche, a mileage scale and several sailing ships. From the French edition of the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum published by...
Suecia, Dania, et Norvegia, Regna Europae Septentrionalia
1643 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12573
Coloured map of Scandinavia. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1643.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Aethiopia Inferior, vel Exterior.
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1644-55
Engraved antique map of South Africa by Joan Blaeu. The beautiful cartouche shows tribal warriors with spears and bows, including turtles and monkeys. With sailing ships and various wild animals of...
Aethiopia Inferior, vel Exterior.
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11776
Coloured map of South Africa. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1644.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Germaniae Veteris typus
Amsterdam, 1644-55
Beautiful copper engraving map from the Ancient Germany of Abraham Ortelius by Joan Blaeu. From one of the two Latin editions of the Theatrum orbis terrarum, sive Atlas novus from 1644-55.
Germaniae Veteris typus
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11778
Old coloured map of Germany. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1644.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Nova totius Germaniae descriptio
Amsterdam, 1644-55
Old coloured antique map of Germany by Joan Blaeu. Decorated with a large coat of arms and a compass rose. From one of the two Latin editions of the Theatrum orbis terrarum, sive Atlas novus from...
Nova totius Germaniae descriptio
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11779
Old coloured map of Germany. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1644.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Archiepiscopatus Maghdeburgensis et Anhaltinus Ducatus
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1644-55
Old coloured antique map of Saxony-Anhalt with parts of Lower Saxony and Saxony by G. Blaeu. Shows the area between the Weser in the west and Wittenberg and Leipzig in the east. With Göttingen,...
Archiepiscopatus Maghdeburgensis et Anhaltinus Ducatus
1644 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11908
Old coloured map of Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1644.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Ducatus Uplandia. Joh. et Cornelius Blaeu exc.
Joan & Cornelius Blaeu, Amsterdam, circa 1645
Original old coloured engraved map of central Sweden showing the area around Stockholm. With a Swedish coat of arms, a figural cartouche with rural people and a knight in amour, a allegoric...
Ducatus Uplandia. Joh. et Cornelius Blaeu exc.
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10845
Old coloured map of Uppland, Sweden. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan & Cornelius Blaeu circa 1645.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Cantabrigiensis Comitatus, Cambridge Shire.
Blaeu Family, Amsterdam, circa 1645
Attractive map of the country of Cambridgeshire in England by Blaeu in original old colours. With coats-of-arms of noble families and colleges. French text on verso.
Cantabrigiensis Comitatus, Cambridge Shire.
1645 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11195
Old coloured map of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. Printed in Amsterdam by Blaeu Family circa 1645.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Silesia Inferior
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1647-49
Antique map of Lower Silesia by Joan Blaeu. Shows the area between Frankfurt Oder in the northwest, via Crossen (Krosno Odrzańskie), Glogau (Głogów), Freiberg to Brieg (Brzeg) in the southeast....
Silesia Inferior
1647 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12041
Coloured map of Lower Silesia, Wroclaw, Breslau. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1647.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Penbrochia Comitatus et Comitatus Caermaridunum
Amsterdam, circa 1648
Attractive map of the country of Pembrokeshire in UK by J. Blaeu. From a Dutch edition of "Atlas Maior" in beautiful colour. With 13 coats of arms, one cartouche and two sailing ships. Dutch text...
Penbrochia Comitatus et Comitatus Caermaridunum
1648 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10412
Coloured map of Pembrokeshire. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1648.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Silesia Ducatus A Martino Helwigio Nißense descriptus
circa 1650
Attractive map of Silesia after Martin Helwig with Breslau (Wroclaw) in the center. Nice coloured catrouche and coat of arms. Reverse french text.
Silesia Ducatus A Martino Helwigio Nißense descriptus
1650 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10050
Coloured map of Silesia. Printed circa 1650.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Ducatus Silesiae Glogani Vera Delineatio
circa 1650
Map of Silesia showing the area of Glogow. Reverse french text.
Ducatus Silesiae Glogani Vera Delineatio
1650 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10049
Coloured map of Glogow, Silesia. Printed circa 1650.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Ducatus Silesiae Glogani Vera Delineatio
circa 1650
Map of Silesia showing the area of Glogow. German text on back.
Ducatus Silesiae Glogani Vera Delineatio
1650 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10415
Coloured map of Glogow, Silesia. Printed circa 1650.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Ultonia, Hibernis Cui-Guilly, Anglis Ulster
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1654
Antique map of Ulster, Northern Ireland by Joan Blaeu. Decorated with a magnificent cartouche, a coat of arms and a sailing ship. This is the first variant with only one ship. First published in...
Ultonia, Hibernis Cui-Guilly, Anglis Ulster
1654 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12476
Old coloured map of Northern Ireland, Ulster. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1654.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Connachtia vulgo Connaughty
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1654
Antique map of Connacht in the north-west of Ireland by Joan Blaeu. Decorated with a magnificent cartouche and a coat of arms. This is the first variant without any ships. First published in...
Connachtia vulgo Connaughty
1654 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12477
Old coloured map of Connacht, Northwestern Ireland. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1654.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Silesia Inferior
Amsterdam, circa 1659
Beautiful map of lower Silesia, centred around Glogau (Głogów) by Blaeu. Attractive original colour with nice cartouches. Latin text on verso.
Silesia Inferior
1659 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10325
Old coloured map of Lower Silesia, Glogow. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1659.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Essexia Comitatus
circa 1660
Outstanding attractive map of the country of Essex in UK. Colour is gold heightened, with king coats of arms and family coats of arms, last is empty. French text on verso, with a coloured view on...
Essexia Comitatus
1660 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10057
Coloured map of Essex. Printed circa 1660.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Galloflandria, in qua Castellaniae Lilana, Duacena, & Orchiesia, cum dependentibus
Amsterdam, circa 1660
Old coloured copper engraved map of Flanders between North France and Belgium by J. Blaeu. Showing the regions around Lille. Cartouche with several coats of arms and a title cartouche. From a...
Galloflandria, in qua Castellaniae Lilana, Duacena, & Orchiesia, cum...
1660 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10414
Old coloured map of Lille, Flanders. Printed in Amsterdam circa 1660.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Gouvernement General du Pays Orleanois
W. Blaeu, Amsterdam, circa 1660
Copper engraved map of Central France by W. Blaeu. Covering the regions of Centre, Limousin and Poitou-Charentes with Paris, Orléans, Tours and Nantes in West. With two decorative figurative and...
Gouvernement General du Pays Orleanois
1660 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10499
Antique map of the Poitou-Charentes, Limousin, Centre. Printed in Amsterdam by W. Blaeu circa 1660.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Wagria, que est pars Orientalis Holsatiae
J. Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1662
Beautiful old coloured map of Eastern part of Holstein from J. Blaeu after Johannes Mejer. Showing the area around Kiel, Oldenburg and Lübeck. With two detailed plans of Oldenburg, two coloured...
Wagria, que est pars Orientalis Holsatiae
1662 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
10469
Old coloured map of Oldenburg, Holstein. Printed in Amsterdam by J. Blaeu in 1662.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Territorium Basileense, cum adjacentibus
Amsterdam, 1662
Engraved map of the region around Basel by Willem Janszoon Blaeu. Oriented to the south. The map shows the area between Olten, Delsberg, Saint-Ursanne, Altkirch and the Black Forest with the Rhine...
Territorium Basileense, cum adjacentibus
1662 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11773
Old coloured map of Basle, Basel. Printed in Amsterdam in the year 1662.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Insulae Acores Delineante Ludovico Teisera
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1662
Highly decorative sea chart of the Azores Islands. At the upper left the northwestern islands of Corvo and Flores, in the middle the central archipelago with Faial, Pico, São Jorge, Graciosa and...
Insulae Acores Delineante Ludovico Teisera
1662 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
11775
Old coloured sea chart of the Azores Islands. Published by Joan Blaeu in Amsterdam in 1662.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Sevende Stuck der Aerdrycks-Beschryving, Welck Vervat Italien en Griecken.
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1664-65
A splendid copy of Blaeu's Atlas of Italy and Greece. All 67 maps finely coloured by a contemporary hand.The Italy and Greece Atlas of Atlas Maior by Joan Blaeu is considered as one of the...
Sevende Stuck der Aerdrycks-Beschryving, Welck Vervat Italien en Griecken.
1664 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12079
Atlas of Italy and Greece from Atlas Maior by Joan Blaeu. Printed 1664 in Amsterdam.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Territorio Perugino
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1664-65
Old coloured map of Umbria with Perugia and the Lake Trasimeno by Willem Blaeu. Decorated with two cartouches. First published in Blaeu's Atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1640. This example comes...
Territorio Perugino
1664 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12436
Old coloured map of Perugia, Umbria. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1664.
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Willem Janszoon Blaeu: Terra di Lavoro, olim Campania Felix
Joan Blaeu, Amsterdam, 1664-65
Old coloured map of Campania with Naples and the Islands Ponza, Ventotene and Ischia by Willem Blaeu. Decorated with two cartouches, a coat of arms and two sailing ships. First published in Blaeu's...
Terra di Lavoro, olim Campania Felix
1664 - Willem Janszoon Blaeu
12437
Old coloured map of Campania. Printed in Amsterdam by Joan Blaeu in 1664.
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