Antique Maps by Abraham Ortelius (*1527 - 1598)

Abraham Ortelius was born 1527 in Antwerp. He studied mathematics, Greek and Latin and travelled a lot across Europe. He established a business in dealing with books and drawing maps. His first remarkable map was a 8 sheet world map in the year 1564, but only three copies have survived. In 1570 he issued the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern Atlas with uniformly sized maps in a systematic collection. The term Atlas was not used until Mercator introduced it 20 years later. Most of the maps in Theatrum have been engraved by Frans Hogenberg. At the time of publication, the atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Nevertheless it was a big success and around 7000 copies have been printed until 1612 in many editions and six different languages. Beside the Theatrum, Ortelius compiled a series of historical maps and published it in the Parergon Theatri which was bound with the Theatrum from 1579 onwards or published separately.
  • Abraham Ortelius:  Picardiae, Belgicae regionis descriptio. Joanne Surhonio auctore.

    C. Plantin, Antwerp, 1579

    Beautiful original old coloured map of the Picardie region in Northwest France by Abraham Ortelius. Showing the Picardy from the sea to Abbeville, Amiens and Laon in the east. With two nice...

    Picardiae, Belgicae regionis descriptio. Joanne Surhonio auctore.
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    10405

    Old coloured map of the Picardy. Printed in Antwerp by C. Plantin in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Poictou / Pictonum Vicinarum que Regionum Fidiss Descripto.

    C. Plantin, Antwerp, 1579

    Beautiful original old coloured map of the Poitou in Western France by Abraham Ortelius. Showing the Atlantic coast with La Rochelle up to Limoges in the East. With three nicely coloured...

    Poictou / Pictonum Vicinarum que Regionum Fidiss Descripto.
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    10406

    Old coloured map of the Poitou. Printed in Antwerp by C. Plantin in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Franciae Orientalis ( Vulgo / Franckenlant ) Descriptio, Auctore, Sebast. A Rotenhan.

    Plantin, Antwerp, 1579

    Original old colour copper engraved map of Franconia in Bavaria by A. Ortelius. Showing the area around Bamberg and Würzburg. From the 1579 Latin edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum".

    Franciae Orientalis ( Vulgo / Franckenlant ) Descriptio, Auctore,...
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    10590

    Old coloured map of Franconia, Bavaria. Printed in Antwerp by Plantin in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Hispaniae novae sivae magnae, recens et vera descriptio. 1579.

    Antwerp, 1579

    Nice map of Mexico with the Pacific coastal line by A. Ortelius. With three beautiful cartouches and two sailing ship. From the 1579 Latin edition of 'Theatrum Orbis Terrarum'. 'The first printed...

    Hispaniae novae sivae magnae, recens et vera descriptio. 1579.
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    10860

    Coloured map of Mexico, Pacific. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Wirtenberg Ducatus

    A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1579

    Very detailed, antique map of Württemberg by Abraham Ortelius. Shows the area from Pforzheim to Ulm and between Villingen-Schwenningen and Schwäbisch Hall with Stuttgart in the centre. With a...

    Wirtenberg Ducatus
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    11850

    Old coloured map of Baden-Württemberg. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Bavariae olim Vindeliciae, Delineationis Compendium ex Tabula Philippi Apiani Math.

    A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1579

    Very detailed, antique map of Bavaria by Abraham Ortelius. Shows the area between Passau and Augsburg and from Nuremberg to Kufstein with Landau and Dingolfing in the centre. With Regensburg,...

    Bavariae olim Vindeliciae, Delineationis Compendium ex Tabula Philippi...
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    11851

    Coloured map of Bavaria. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Hassiae Descriptio, Ioanne Drynadro Auctore / Holsatiae Descrip.

    A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1579

    Old coloured antique map of Schleswig-Holstein and Hesse by A. Ortelius. Two maps on a sheet. The right map shows Schleswig-Holstein between the Elbe river and Flensburg and from the North Sea to...

    Hassiae Descriptio, Ioanne Drynadro Auctore / Holsatiae Descrip.
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    11857

    Old coloured map of Schleswig-Holstein, Hesse. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Asiae nova descriptio

    Anthonis Coppens van Diest, Antwerp, 1579

    Antique map of the Asian continent by Abraham Ortelius. Shows Asia from the Mediterranean to the Pacific. With the Arabian Peninsula, India, Thailand, China, Japan, Korea, Java, Borneo, Moluccas...

    Asiae nova descriptio
    1579 - Abraham Ortelius
    12563

    Coloured map of the Asian continent. Printed in Antwerp by Anthonis Coppens van Diest in 1579.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Asiae nova descriptio

    Antwerp, 1580

    Beautiful original coloured map of Asia. From the 1580 German edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum by Abraham Ortelius. The cartographical source of this map comes from Ortelius own 1567 wall map of...

    Asiae nova descriptio
    1580 - Abraham Ortelius
    10077

    Coloured map of the Asian continent. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1580.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Hungariae descriptio, Wolfgango Lazio Auct.

    Plantin, Antwerp, 1580

    Original old colour copper engraved map of Hungary by A. Ortelius. The map is based on Wolfgang Lazius 5 sheet wall map of 1556. From the 1580 German edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum".

    Hungariae descriptio, Wolfgango Lazio Auct.
    1580 - Abraham Ortelius
    10589

    Old coloured map of Austria - Hungary. Printed in Antwerp by Plantin in 1580.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Regni Hispaniae Post Omnium Editiones Locuplettissima Descriptio

    Antwerp, 1580

    Original old coloured engraved map of Spain and Portugal by A. Ortelius. Showing the Iberian Peninsula with Balearic Islands and parts of northern Africa. With one large cartouche, a mileage scale,...

    Regni Hispaniae Post Omnium Editiones Locuplettissima Descriptio
    1580 - Abraham Ortelius
    10874

    Old coloured map of Spain - Portugal. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1580.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Frisiae Orientalis Descriptio

    A. Ortelius, Antwerp, 1580 or 1589

    Old coloured, antique map of East Frisia by Abraham Ortelius. Shows the North Sea coast of East Frisia (Ostfriesland) from Emden to the Oldenburger Land and the East Frisian Islands Borkum, Juist,...

    Frisiae Orientalis Descriptio
    1580 - Abraham Ortelius
    11858

    Old coloured map of East Frisia, Lower Saxony. Printed in Antwerp by A. Ortelius in 1580 or 1589.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Eryn. Hiberniae, Britannicae Insulae, Nova Descriptio. Irlandt

    Christoffel Plantin, Antwerp, 1580 or 1589

    Old coloured antique map of Ireland by Abraham Ortelius. The west-oriented map is based on the large wall map of Great Britain by Mercator from 1564 and comes from a German Ortelius atlas of 1580...

    Eryn. Hiberniae, Britannicae Insulae, Nova Descriptio. Irlandt
    1580 - Abraham Ortelius
    11897

    Old coloured map of Ireland. Printed in Antwerp by Christoffel Plantin in 1580 or 1589.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Romani Imperii Imago

    Antwerp, 1581

    Showing European continent during Roman Empire. From 1581 French edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum". French Text on verso.

    Romani Imperii Imago
    1581 - Abraham Ortelius
    10058

    Antique map of the Roman Empire. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1581.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Westphaliae Totius, Finitimarumque Regionum Accurata Descriptio

    Plantin, Antwerp, 1584 [1579]

    Beautiful hand colour copper engraved map of North Rhein-Westphalia by A. Ortelius. From the 1584 Latin edition of "Theatrum Orbis Terrarum".

    Westphaliae Totius, Finitimarumque Regionum Accurata Descriptio
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    10628

    Coloured map of North Rhein-Westphalia. Printed in Antwerp by Plantin in 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Candia Insula / Archipelagi Insularum Aliquot Descrip.

    Antwerp, 1584

    Beautiful original old coloured copper engraved map of Crete with 10 additional islands by A. Ortelius. Showing Crete and the islands Lesbos (Metellino), Kithira (Cerigo), Karpathos (Scarpanto),...

    Candia Insula / Archipelagi Insularum Aliquot Descrip.
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11311

    Old coloured map of the Aegean Sea, Cyclades, Crete. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Thusciae Descriptio Auctore Hieronymo Bellarmato.

    Antwerp, 1584

    Beautiful original old coloured copper engraved map of the Tuscany by A. Ortelius. Showing the area down to Rome in the lower right corner. Also parts of Corsica and the Isle of Elba are shown....

    Thusciae Descriptio Auctore Hieronymo Bellarmato.
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11334

    Old coloured map of the Tuscany. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Tartariae sive Magni Chami Regni Typus

    Antwerp, 1584

    Beautiful original old coloured copper engraved map of the Tartary by A. Ortelius. Showing large part of Asia from Black Sea with Russia, parts of China, a curious early treatment of Japan and an...

    Tartariae sive Magni Chami Regni Typus
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11336

    Old coloured map of the Northwestern US, Tartary. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Regni Neapolitani Verissima Secundum Antiquorum et Recentiorum Traditionem Descriptio, Pyrrho...

    Antwerp, 1584

    Beautiful original old coloured copper engraved map of the Southern Italy by A. Ortelius. Including the towns of Ascoli Piceno, Napels, Fogia, Bari, Catanzaro and the northern tip of Sicily with...

    Regni Neapolitani Verissima Secundum Antiquorum et Recentiorum...
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11337

    Old coloured map of Southern Italy, Napoli. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Insularum Aliquot Maris Mediterranei Descriptio.

    Antwerp, 1584

    Beautiful original old coloured copper engraved map of six Mediterranean Island by A. Ortelius. Showing Malta, Sardinia, Sicily, Corfu, Elba and Djerba. From the 1584 Latin edition of Theatrum...

    Insularum Aliquot Maris Mediterranei Descriptio.
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11338

    Old coloured map of Djerba, Elba, Corfu, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Senensis Ditionis Accurata Descriptio / Corsica / Marcha Anconae, olim Picenum 1572

    Antwerp, 1584

    Nice original old coloured map of Corsica, part of Tuscany around Siena and the Ancona region by Abraham Ortelius. From the 1584 Latin edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum , Latin text on verso.

    Senensis Ditionis Accurata Descriptio / Corsica / Marcha Anconae, olim...
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11340

    Old coloured map of Ancona, Tuscany, Sienna, Corsica. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Pomeraniae, Wandalicae Regionis, Typ. / Livoniae Nova Descriptio / Ducatus Oswieczensis, et...

    Antwerp, 1584

    Nice original old coloured map of the Baltic Sea coast from Rugen to Gdansk, the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as parts of southern Poland north of the Carpathian...

    Pomeraniae, Wandalicae Regionis, Typ. / Livoniae Nova Descriptio /...
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11352

    Old coloured map of Prussia, Pommern, Latvia, Baltic Sea, Livonia. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Romaniae, (quae olim Thracia Dicta) Vicinorumq Regionum, uti Bulgariae, Walachiae, Syrfiae, etc....

    Antwerp, 1584

    Nice original old coloured map of Southeastern Europe with Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia to Istanbul in the southeast by Abraham Ortelius. Decorated with a large galleon, two sailing ships, a...

    Romaniae, (quae olim Thracia Dicta) Vicinorumq Regionum, uti Bulgariae,...
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11353

    Old coloured map of Serbia, Bulgaria. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

  • Abraham Ortelius:  Transilvania

    Antwerp, 1584

    Nice original old coloured map of Transylvania in Romania around the south Carpathian Mountains by Abraham Ortelius. Decorated with three cartouches. From the 1584 Latin edition of Theatrum Orbis...

    Transilvania
    1584 - Abraham Ortelius
    11354

    Old coloured map of Transylvania. Printed in Antwerp in the year 1584.

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