Old World Auctions’ September sale features several items that have never before been offered at auction. The online auction runs through 10 p.m. Eastern on September 13.
The first of these rare items is Ludwig von Bucholtz’s 1859 update of Herman Boye’s four-sheet map of the state of Virginia. Bucholtz was hired to update Boye’s 1827 map and incorporate the growth in the western part of the state. The map was prized for its accuracy and detail, and was used by military leaders of both sides during the Civil War. Only 650 copies of Bucholtz’s “A Map of the State of Virginia” were printed, and surviving copies of the map are exceedingly rare. Bucholtz’s map is lot 305 and is estimated at $14,000 - $17,000.
Another unique item is Bernard Sylvanus’ “Sexta Europae Tabula,” a distinctive map of Italy printed in two colors. Published in 1511, this is one of the earliest maps of Italy obtainable by today's collectors. This map appeared in Sylvanus’ edition of Ptolemy's Geograhia, which was the first atlas to use two-color woodblock printing. Sylvanus’ map is lot 550 and is estimated at $4,000 - $5,000.
Also new to auction is “Il Mondo Ammalato,” a broadside that illuminates the Ottoman Empire’s struggles after the Russo-Turkish War. This satirical piece appeared in an 1879 issue of La Rana, a humorous political weekly journal published in Bologne. The broadside centers on a large globe that is depicted as the head of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, whose five senses are being disturbed by riots, rising taxes, the plague, and the loss of alliances. This item is lot 48 and is estimated at $750 - $1,000.
Other items of note in the September auction include:
- Lot 46. Game of the Star-Spangled Banner, or Emigrants to the United States by Edward Wallis (1840). This is one of the earliest game maps of the United States and is filled with pictorial images. Estimate $5,500 - $7,000
- Lot 55. Americae sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio, by Abraham Ortelius (1579). This is one of the most famous maps of America, and one that had enormous influence on the future cartography of the New World. Estimate $5,500 - $6,500
- Lot 142. Carte de la Louisiane et du Cours du Mississipi by Guillaume Delisle (1718). This is a foundation map for the Mississippi Valley and the first appearance of Texas on a printed map. Estimate $6,000 - $7,000
- Lot 277. The Attack and Defeat of the American Fleet Under Benedict Arnold, by William Faden (1776). Depicting the first naval engagement of the American Revolution, waged near Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, this is one of the rarest Revolutionary battle plans. Estimate $6,000 - $7,500
- Lot 719. Epitome Theatri Orteliani by Filips Galle (1589). This rare miniature atlas features 94 maps based on the work of Abraham Ortelius. Estimate $5,500 - $7,000
- Lot 731. Atlas of the United States of North America by Rogers & Johnston (1857). This important and rare atlas was a collaboration between the British cartographer Alexander Keith Johnston and the American geographer Henry Darwin Rogers and includes desirable maps of the American West. Estimate $2,750 - $3,500
The auction, the fourth of Old World Auctions’ five events this year, features rare and historic maps, historic documents, rare books, illuminated manuscripts and prints from consignors from all over the world. Of the 758 lots, nearly 70 will be listed without a reserve with bidding starting at $1. The auction closes September 13 at 10 p.m. Eastern.
The online auction catalog is available to view at https://www.oldworldauctions.com/catalog/current. Those interested in bidding in this auction can create an online account at www.oldworldauctions.com/register.
