Maps of Asia

Unusual map of Catholic missions in Japan, a chromolithography published in Paris in the "Journal des missions catholiques". It includes three inset maps of the Kuril Islands, the Empire of Japan, and the Ryukyu Islands. A legend at the top details the division of this territory into dioceses and archdioceses, identifying the island of Formosa (Taiwan) as a vicariate. Adrien-Charles Launay (1853-1927)...

Place: Paris (106 x 75 cm)
Date: 1898
Item Number: 7101

Beautiful map of China that represented a significant advancement in Western cartographic knowledge of the region. It was published in the Atlas Sinensis by Martino Martini, an Italian Jesuit missionary considered an authority on the cartographic recording of Chinese territory. This atlas, edited by Covens & Mortier in Amsterdam, is considered the first Western atlas of China and represents the pinnacle...

Place: Amsterdam (40.6 x 53.3 cm)
Date: 1695
Item Number: 5373

Very uncommon map of the Shandong province, published in Shanghai in 1917. Jinan ), its capital, is referred as Tsinan. It shows with great details two foreign concession: Jiaozhou Bay ("Kiaochow Bay"), the former German concession (and hometown of the famed Tsingtao beer), described as a "Neutral Territory"; and British Weihaiwei, in and around today Weihai city. This was a leased territory of the...

Place: Shanghai
Date: 1917
Item Number: 6918

Uncommon Jesuit maps of the river system centered on Hanoi and the Gulf of Tonkin. These maps were first published in 1810 in Lyon, France, in the "Lettres Édifiantes et Curieuses" (with "Tom. 16" in the margin) and reprinted in an 1819 edition (our copies, with "Tome 9"). Little is known about the author of these maps, apart from the name of their engraver (Porlier for our edition). However, we do...

Place: Lyon
Date: 1819
Item Number: 7762

Beautiful engraving of a different Asiatic and West Indian vessels, by Romeyn de Hooghe, one of the greatest Dutch etchers of the late 17th century. The plate was later bought by Pieter van der Aa, who reprinted it in 1728 (our copy), adding French title and legends to the original Dutch one, to appeal to a broader audience. He translated "Speeljachten" to "Jachts de plaisir", or leisure yachts. It...

Date: 1887
Item Number: 6864

Beautiful colored British Admiralty nautical map of the approaches to the Yangtze River, including part of the city of Shanghai, China. It depicts Shanghai to the sea and the island and bank of Chongming North to the Shengsi and Saddle Islands South. The map captures Shanghai during and after the Second Sino-Japanese War 1937 -1945, during which the city was heavily destroyed. The chart has different...

Place: London
Date: 1947
Item Number: 7239

(41x53 cm) Early and scarce map of China and Korea, published in the important atlas Cartes générales de toutes les parties du monde in 1658, the first world atlas published in France. It is based on cartographic observations made by Jesuit missionaries Matteo Ricci, Michele Ruggieri, and particularly Martino Martini, considered an authority on Chinese territorial cartographic recording. The map includes...

Place: Paris (40.6 x 53.3 cm)
Date: 1656
Item Number: 5374

Very uncommon map of the Jiangsu province, published in Shanghai in 1917. Nanjing, its capital, is referred as Nankin. It shows with great details both the Tongji Canal, ("Old Course") and the Huai-Yang Canal followed by the Jiangnan Canal ("Grand Canal"). On the top left of the map appears the Jiaozhou Bay ("Kiaochow Bay"), the former German concession (and hometown of the famed Tsingtao beer). It...

Place: Shanghai
Date: 1917
Item Number: 6919

Unrecorded set of six maps of Jerusalem, the Holy Land and Middle East, printed on two sheets joined, full original hand colors. That broadsheet (62 x101 cm) was published in 1728 by Henry Overton and John Hoole. It was engraved by Samuel Parker, who had trained with John Senex before opening its own business. Unrecorded in WorldCat and RBH. Barry Ruderman sold a late edition of that map (#21947),...

Place: London
Date: 1728
Item Number: 8304

L'empire de la Chine d'après l'Atlas Chinois, avec les isles du Japon. Par M. Bonne, hydrographe. 37 x 53 cm. Nice original colors, excellent condition. At the bottom the cartouche, part of the text refering to the French king was erased, probably during the French Revolution, c. 1794: "with privilege of the king" was turned into "with privilege". Antique original map of China and Japan.

Place: Paris
Date: 1780
Item Number: 4537

Very uncommon map of the Henan province, published in Shanghai in 1917. Its capital was then Kaifeng, and Zhengzhou is referred to as Chengchow Fu. This map was featured in John Edwin Dingles New Atlas of China, a rare publication from the Far Eastern Geographical Establishment, offering a remarkable testament to the Western presence in Shanghai after the First Opium War. Although bilingual (English-Mandarin),...

Place: Shanghai
Date: 1917
Item Number: 6917

Rare admiralty chart of the South Sea East Coast of China, from Hong Kong to Jieyang and its port Shantu. It has many dates of publication and improvement: a copyright in Nov. 1890, new editions in 1909 and 1912, small corrections in 1920, etc; up to its last update in 1948, reflecting the important shipping activity in the region and therefor the need of constantly updated and improved charts. The...

Place: London
Date: 1947
Item Number: 7240

Escaso mapa de Estambul, dividido en la ciudad, Ejup, Hasloi, Tophana Pea, Galata y Scutari. Contiene una clave alfabética que hace referencia a trece puntos de interés. Fue publicado en Londres por John Luffman en 1802. Los mapas de Luffman son muy escasos en el mercado. Coloreado a mano. John Luffman (fl. 1776-1820) fue un geógrafo, grabador, escritor, historiador, editor y orfebre establecido en...

Place: Londres
Date: 1800
Size: 12.7 x 16.5 cm.
Item Number: 5504

Rare British Admiralty chart of the coasts of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. It depicts from Jazirat Abu Ali and Jubail north to Ras Tanura and Qatif, close to Dammam, South. This region hosts the Qatif Project, an oilfield development project operated by Saudi Aramco. The chart also features the Northern part of one of the largest coral reefs in the Persian Gulf, Fasht al Jarim, on which the government...

Place: London
Date: 1952
Item Number: 7237

52 x 63 cm. Rare color map of Cambodia, probably published in Phnom Penh in 1961 by the Geographical Service of the kingdom. This 1:1,000,000 scale map shows the different provinces of the country, eight years after its independence (1953). Published in French, the language of the former colonial power, the map provides information on the boundaries of the provinces, the location of provincial capitals...

Place: Phnon Penh
Date: 1962
Item Number: 8530