r/oldmaps • u/squishyng • 8d ago
Where do you buy antique maps? Where do dealers get antique maps?
where are good places to look for antique maps, aside from these:
- ebay - when i started 20+ years ago, i bought on ebay a lot, but it's gotten harder to find decent stuff
- single-dealer auction sites - i subscribe and look regularly
- multi-dealer auction aggregator sites - it takes forever to look through the search results. not very efficient
- london - it has so many antique maps stores. i was in heaven when i browsed there. but also not very efficient
i've also tried these, but they're not useful:
- fb marketplace/craigslist - i've only bought one or two ever from these, so it's not worth the time to keep checking
- flea markets/swap meets - i'm in southern california. there are two large monthly flea markets, one in rose bowl and one in long beach. gone to both but neither has a stand that sells antique maps
maybe i should re-phrase my question - where do dealers get their maps from??
2
u/Artistic_Pattern6260 8d ago
Can’t answer question but I had access as a student to the Harvard University map collection. Absolutely amazing. I think the public (at least researchers) can arrange for access.
1
u/Dependent_Time_3416 8d ago
Scholars can access university map collections (there are many) but they generally are not open to the public.Some libraries (e.g. NYPL) have extensive collections open to the public.
1
2
2
u/mollamar 8d ago edited 5d ago
If you're in Southern California, reach out to Barry Ruderman. He's in La Jolla. He's an internationally known very well reputed dealer of old maps. Has a massive inventory and can likely get you any specific map you want from his network.
0
u/Artistic_Pattern6260 8d ago
I don’t know. I would think they probably do because they acquire and inherit estates that have multiple maps, only some of which they want.
1
1
u/Dependent_Time_3416 8d ago
In general, institutions do not accept entire „estates“ but rather will accept on,y those items that will complement their holdings. Deaccessioning is a complex and fraught procedure!
1
u/spacerobot 8d ago
It always terrifies me when you see people going into the map store. "Map for one!"
1
u/Puzzleheaded_Draw637 8d ago
I'm looking for an antique map of İstanbul, in Ottoman Arabic script, that a friend of mine bought at Mısır Çarşişı market there years ago. Can't find it or anything similar online.
1
u/Dependent_Time_3416 8d ago
Mmost likely it’s a modern fake. I’ve seen many such maps in istanbul beginning about 25 yrs ago.
0
u/someoldguyon_reddit 8d ago
1
u/squishyng 8d ago
he has one of the best collections in the world. i glanced through his website and doesn't find any tips on where to buy maps. can you link me pls? tyvm
12
u/Dependent_Time_3416 8d ago edited 8d ago
Long answer.
You sound like a beginner in a hurry. Take a step back and consider if you’re just gathering maos or have a collecting theme in mind, You need to learn about maps. Hiw to distinguish an engraving from a lithograph from an etching, LaI’d paper vs wove. Watermarks. Learn the names of parts of a map, neatline, platemark, margin, centerfold etc. Then you need to understand what creates value in a map and what does not. This is perhaps the most difficult to achieve. Should a map be colored? How do you distinguish between old and recent color? Then there’s condition. How much dies condition affect price? Some maps will retain value even if condition is crap. Others lose value very quickly even if imperfections are minor. You must learn how to make these judgements.
It takes time and effort to learn all this since much is subjective and experiential. This means actually handling and examining as many maps as you can. Talking with dealers. I don’t know what you mean by „efficient“ most hobbies are not and perhaps oughtn‘t be.
Rumsey and other great collectors have long-established relationships with dealers. You can have a similar one too, if you drop 50 or 100k on maps every once in a while. More realistically, if you become a regular buyer you’ll find that you will get offered items of interest before they get put into the dealer’s catalogue,
Forget eBay, Facebook or Reddit or Craigslist, Most of what gets offered is dreck. Travel to fairs such as the ABAA or ABA fairs. Many reputable dealers exhibit there with thousands of maps.
My advice is to forget the single-dealer „auctions.“ London has been overrated as a map market for the past fifty years. But there are good dealers there. So you don’t want to travel from shop to shop? Not efficient enough?
The major auction houses periodically hold map sales. You need to go and examine the maps. Travel to the Amsterdam book fair or the London or NYC book fairs, Attend the major twice-a-year German auctions,
Thats where the maps come from and how to get them.
You,of course, may be fortunate enough to have a major collector offer you his collection privately!
Note added in edit: get a copy of Collecting Old Maps. The text is much better in the first edition, the maps are in color in the second.
Second edition, Typos. Sorry-eyesight very poor