| There is something inherently intriguing | | | | want to buy a print of an old map to hang on |
| about ancient maps. As a child, most of us | | | | a wall. We do not want a map because of its |
| have played games where we have imagined that | | | | financial value but more because of its |
| we had found a map giving the location of | | | | personal value. This type of print is far |
| hidden treasure. If only it were true! This | | | | more easily obtainable and certainly more |
| may be one of the reasons that many people | | | | affordable. The most popular types of prints |
| have a fascination for antique maps. The | | | | are those of maps relating to a city, county |
| physical characteristics of the world may not | | | | or state that family ancestors originated |
| have changed remarkably since map making | | | | from. These can usually be found relatively |
| began, but the political aspects most | | | | easily and are on sale for a reasonable |
| certainly have. Imagine being in possession | | | | price. Of course, the paper is not going to |
| of a pre-Columbus map that did not show the | | | | be ancient parchment or manuscript, but |
| Americas correctly, now that would be a truly | | | | placed in a good frame, they will certainly |
| priceless antique. The technology involved in | | | | make conversation pieces at your next dinner |
| mapmaking is constantly improving but there | | | | party. |
| is still a desire to own some of the earliest | | | | |
| examples of cartography. | | | | Auctions, both online and offline are fast |
| | | | becoming the most popular place to find |
| Unfortunately, just as there are millions of | | | | prints of specific maps. You may also find |
| people who yearn to own a genuine antique map | | | | that there are antique maps for sale if the |
| of Columbus's expeditions or of the early | | | | owner has not sought advice on its genuine |
| astronomers' guides to the stars there are | | | | value, but that is becoming less common. In |
| just as many, if not more, people out to pass | | | | summary, you need to decide what price you |
| off a modern map as a genuine artifact. You | | | | are prepared to pay for a map, whether it is |
| do need to be extremely careful about | | | | an original or a print. There is nearly |
| researching the authenticity and provenance | | | | always an option available to suit any budget |
| of these allegedly antique maps. This is | | | | to enable you to have an interesting piece of |
| undoubtedly the case if you want to purchase | | | | history on your wall. By far the best |
| one of the more rare examples of cartography. | | | | starting point for a new collector is to buy |
| This can only be achieved by hiring experts | | | | prints of maps, whether regional, global or |
| in the particular era that the map relates | | | | astral. These can be bought from numerous |
| to. Many of the earliest maps were drawn on | | | | outlets. Be warned, once you have begun |
| parchment that requires particular care and | | | | collecting these fascinating pieces of |
| conditions to prevent it from being | | | | history, you may find it difficult to stop. |
| destroyed. Only national museums are lucky | | | | The only limit to the size and content of |
| enough to house such treasures. | | | | your potential collection is the amount of |
| | | | money that you are prepared to spend! |
| However, the greater majority of us simply | | | | |