​It’s unlikely you’re totally new to buying online, who doesn’t use Amazon? But would you be confident about buying a rare map or print and parting with several hundred dollars online?

The great thing about the online world is you can find many highly respected map and print dealers just a click away. Plus you can buy without even getting off your sofa! You just need to know what you’re doing and be confident about it.

​It’s also possible to find ‘Little Gems’ as I call them being sold on various online platforms by people who sometimes simply don’t know what they’ve got! I’m not just talking about on sites like eBay here. You’d be surprised what you can find when you know where to look. One of the keys is knowing what to look for.

If you’re lucky enough to find the elusive ‘little gem’ then the next step is all the more important for you. The information in this ebook will help you avoid some basic mistakes still made by the unwary on the verge of buying a rare map or collectable print online. 

This is a quick step by step guide to buying online with practical suggestions and 'real life' examples of what can be achieved.  Get your copy today!

FREE DOWNLOAD

Back in December I shared with you Plate I from Lord Howes Victory for James Jenkins The Naval Achievements of Great Britain. Below is Plate II and below the print is the brief excerpt from the original written account as published with the aquatint plate.

​The French fleet of twenty-five sail of the line and fifteen frigates had sailed out of Brest in order to bring in homeward bound merchant ships. The fleet was discovered by the British on 28 May and battle was given on the 29th. The action was interrupted by fog and battle was not re-engaged until 1 June when the British fleet prevailed and captured seven vessels.

Known as 'The Glorious First of June', this action was also known as the 'Third Battle of Ushant'. The British were commanded by Admiral Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe (1726-99), and the French were commanded by Admiral Louis-Thomas Villaret de Joyeuse (1747-1812). The British defeat of the French was only a tactical victory, the objective of capturing a French grain convoy was not achieved.

​As I've mentioned before having beautiful prints of flowers in your home is like bringing the outside indoors.  If you're looking to brighten up your decor or simply love collecting botanical prints then the work of Louis Benoît Van Houtte should be on your list.  Van Houtte (1810-1876) was a Belgian horticulturist who worked at the Jardin Botanique de Brussels between 1836 and 1838 and is best known for his famous series of botanicals, Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l’Europe. He was the proprietor of the largest nursery of its time on the continent. At the height of European orchid mania in 1845 he despatched plant collectors to the Americas to search for orchids and other exotic plants.
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Above: Flowering plant Dipladdenia Nobilis c1849 original chromolithograph from Louis van Houtte’s, Flore des Serres et des Jardins de l’Europe (Flowers of the Greenhouses and Gardens of Europe).

Van Houtte founded a number of high quality botanical periodicals to advertise the plants he sold. Many of the beautiful prints were created by his own printing office in the middle of the gardens, the Horto van Houtteano. His illustrations of plants are especially notable for the craftsmanship of the Belgian lithographers Severeyns, Stroobant and De Pannemaker, who had mastered the art of colour printing from stone.

Happy Hunting!

You can see more botanicals by Louise Van Houtte and Jean Jules Linden HERE.

A regular question asked on Facebook groups like "Antique Map Collectors" is what's it worth? People stick up a picture of some map they've picked up at some estate sale or something thats been tucked away in the attic for years in the hope it may just be worth money.  

Most times these are no more than reproduction maps, not even antique and of little value.  Occasionally the map is antique but commonplace and therefore only worth a few pounds. The truth is there are no fixed price’s for maps. You’ll have to take some time and do some research to get an understanding of how the map market works. Some maps that are more popular with a wide appeal do have a more stable price range but this is not the case with most maps.

Above: America Civil War Map by Theodre Ettling c1861.  Depending where you interact with the market affects the price you'll pay. The illogical reality in this example shows the variation in what you could pay. 

Within the antique map market there are segments that within themselves create differing sub markets. Prices will differ within these sub markets for the same map. Think of it like this, the overall market is made up of a mix of buyers and sellers including dealers, auction houses, serious collectors, casual collectors, institutions, even interior decor buyers and various others that of themselves create there own transient markets.

The buyers and sellers take into consideration factors that will impact the price of the map being sold. These factors will include factors like: Geographical area popular or unpopular. Popular maps with wide appeal will usually demand a higher price. An early state or first edition of a map by a mapmaker of significance will usually demand a higher price than a later edition of the same map.
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But there’s lots of other factors that affect price. No two maps are exactly the same! Add to this issues like condition good or not so good, its visual appeal, has it got original colour, later colour, or is it uncoloured as first published. As an example, if this is a popular map the issue of colour alone may make for a higher value if its original, or it could even lower the value if the colour has been added later and executed poorly or incorrectly for the period!

There are many experienced dealers with websites, do your research and you will be able to establish some guidelines on price’s for most antique maps for both retail and trade prices.

Top Tip: Research, research, research. Knowledge gained along with experience comes highly recommended at this stage. As they say “If in doubt - don’t” well maybe don’t is no help so I recommend ask someone with more experience and if you can’t ask directly you can reach out to people online.

Grab a copy my ebook "Collecting Antique Maps 2021  - It’s Free at https://bit.ly/3oHWt9Q​

Well this is my first post of 2021, what can I say about 2020! Best left unsaid I think.  On a positive note here's wishing you all a better than good 2021 and yes Stay Safe! Those of you that follow my posts will know that since around last September I started weekly posts for the series "Collecting Antique Maps - Tips for the Novice".  Well those that have missed out now have a chance to get this information as a free download pdf book to see you on your way for 2021.  ​It’s in pdf format so you can consume on the go! Perfect for your iPhone, tablet, iPad, laptop or desktop.

This is for those who are new to collecting antique maps or even new to the idea of collecting maps. How you got to this point doesn’t really matter. What you do next is what matters. This may be something you’ve been thinking about starting for sometime, its fast becoming you’re new passion, so where do you start?

This kick start guide will help you get to grips with what you really need to know first. Jumping in feet first can be fun but leaves you open to the potential of making what could be an expensive mistake. I’ve been there so I’m adequately qualified!

If you’re thinking beyond an interesting hobby or personal collection and see this as your next ‘side hustle’ maybe even getting into buying and selling online as I do then you MUST read this guide before anything else - enjoy!

Here's the link to DOWNLOAD your free copy today.

All the best for 2021!