Map Collecting. An enjoyable affliction!

Starting a collection in a new subject can be a thrilling affair. Collecting maps can begin in many ways: perhaps a long time interest results in a conscious decision to begin collecting antique maps, or finding an old chart among papers triggers a desire to research family history, or maybe receiving  an antique map as a gift, leads to a desire to know more about it..  Great enjoyment and never-ending interest can be derived from a single antique map. As with all truly satisfying collections, the wonder of discovery that is experienced with the first unusual or fascinating map, continues for a lifetime. Map collecting appeals to everyone - young and old. Anyone with an interest in geography, history, art, genealogy or even general nostalgia can be captivated. These days, even "junior" finances can be accommodated by reproduction prints or Heritage Editions of early charts. 

Map enthusiasts also have different motivations for collecting. Some may wish simply to create a fine display of framed maps along a hallway of their home for everyone to enjoy; others may wish to add a prestigious perspective to their office. When hung on the wall, a well-framed map or chart adds a touch of distinction to any environment. In the office, the atmosphere created may be just that little bit more intellectual and conducive to doing business. Early maps are certainly a good talking point, and the pleasure they give is endless.

Sometimes a collector will secrete antique maps in special conservation storage - to be brought out on rainy days and peered at through a magnifying glass, or revealed to captive friends and family. The narrative of early voyages and discoveries are told within the scientific parameters of mapmaking. The finely engraved geographic detail, vignettes (engraved views), cartouches (title pieces), and decorative borders all reveal hours of painstaking artistry. The charting of coastlines, as well as representing the progress of discoveries, sometimes revealed through their inaccuracy, the competitive and artistic nature of their creators.

The wonderful (pictured) map of Australia (New Holland as it was called in 1753 before the arrival and charting by Captain Cook in 1770), has a dotted line down an inaccurately guessed east coast, and wording along this line saying that it is assumed that Tasmania joins to Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, but without proof! Among the  world's most recently discovered coastlines, early Australian maps vary greatly - depending on the reliability of their authorship. This map would be one of the most popularly collected. As an original copperplate engraving is rarely available, and not always affordable, it has been reproduced as one of our Heritage Editions, and can be found on our website under the maps on Australia. www.antiqueprintclub.com

Brisbane River charting by John Oxley in 1823

PLAN DE LA RIVIERE BRISBANE (Nouvelle Hollande)

Plan of the Brisbane River (New Holland). [Australia]

Découverte par M. OXLEY, Ingenieur Géographe au Port Jackson  ( Décembre 1823. )

Chart of the Brisbane River Discovered by John Oxley, Geographical Engineer at Port Jackson. (December 1823)

John Oxley's "Plan of the Brisbane River (New Holland)" was first published in a French world atlas by Louis Isidore Duperrey. Complete with depth soundings, Oxley's recording of the river was drawn by Hacq and engraved on a copperplate by Ambroise Tardieu, for inclusion in Duperrey’s narrative of his voyages that included charts of the areas surveyed around the world at that time. “Voyage autour du Monde.. Atlas Hydrographie” was published in Paris in 1824.

In 1823 John Oxley was sent north from Sydney in search of a suitable site for the extension of the settlement of Port Jackson. He was commissioned to explore Moreton Bay, Port Curtis and Port Bowen, which had been discovered in 1799 by Matthew Flinders. After visiting Port Curtis, Oxley returned to Moreton Bay where he was apparently directed to the Brisbane River by an ex-convict of the name of Pamphlett, who had been living with local aborigines. Oxley carried out expeditions along the Pine River and Brisbane River and the adjacent countrysides.

On his return to Sydney in December 1823, Oxley lodged his report. Soon after his return to Port Jackson, Oxley was made Surveyor-General of the Australian colony known as New South Wales. He recorded that “a fine river of major proportions has been discovered in northern New South Wales, New Holland.” and that “the river is navigable a full 40 miles upstream and looks certain to be opened up for development". The Moreton Bay penal colony was proposed for the following year. John Oxley named the river, and later the town, after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane.

Brisbane was still part of New South Wales until "separation" of the State of Queensland in 1859. The name Brisbane was in the balance at one stage, with several eminent people suggesting the town be called Edenglassie. For some reason, Governor Thomas Brisbane decided that 'Brisbane' was better..

Oxley's charting of the river, with depth soundings, is acknowledged as being extremely accurate in its detail and scope. Despite the periodic abuse by tides and river traffic, this chart is still of considerable relevance and interest – particularly to those who live nearby or use the river. Since its recent flooding, we are even more aware of our beautiful and usually clean river - important to anyone with an interest in the history of Brisbane.

Copperplate-engraved maps circa 1824 are rare.  Antique Print Club has published a fine Heritage Editions Limited Edition from an original copper engraving of John Oxley's in depth charting of the Brisbane River. These fine Limited Edition prints are available with outline of the Brisbane River highlighted by hand-colour (see framed). For a limited time, in recognition of the harrowing ordeal of many who were flooded (as we were), we offer a black and white Limited Edition for $20 (usually $55).  If colouring is required, special price $60 (usually $132). Drop in to the gallery if convenient, or order on line by email to sales@antiqueprintclub.com

Grand Re-opening Exhibition

Our Camford Square gallery at Milton in Brisbane has been totally restored and is looking fabulous! We celebrate our re-opening with a Double Exhibition.. Fascinating and important maps showing Australia from as early as the 16th century, and a wonderful collection of charming Gazette du Bon Ton 1920s fashion studies.

Choose from nearly 100 different Gazette du Bon Ton pochoir (stencil) fashion plates, circa 1913-1925. Some of them Derek and I have not seen before, which is always exiting for us. As well as the expressive 'fashion narratives' of 24 x 19cm, we offer many double-size plates showing groups of people in the latest fashion designs and how and where they should be worn(!), the only triple-size plate from the series (24 x 56cm and really beautiful!), - and a wonderful series of pochoir "Croquis" (sketches) of ladies in the latest fashions, without a background setting.

The second exhibition is of rare maps showing the early knowledge (or lack of knowledge) of Australia.

We are lucky in Australia! As our east coast was one of the last coastlines discovered, the guesswork by people in Europe provided many strange shapes and names in the maps over the preceding years. We are including our own collection of early Australian maps so that you will have a good choice. The earliest map is from circa 1597 when Australia was simply shown as the Terra Australis Incognita (Unknown Southern Land) extending from the South Pole - supporting the theory of a great land mass at the South Pole to prevent the world, being a globe, tipping up!

China Revealed..

"China and the Chinese. A series of views from original sketches, displaying the scenery, architecture, social habits, etc., of this ancient and exclusive empire. by Thomas Allom Esquire."

China is a vast country with a huge population and a long history of dynastic empires and battles that span thousands of years. In 1842, at the end of the first Opium Wars with Britain, China became accessible to the West through the newly-acquired British port of Hong Kong. China’s different customs, dress, transport and architecture, combined with unfamiliar religious and superstitious beliefs, created an exotic image. China's amazing natural land formations, engineering achievements, production of porcelain, silk, cotton, tea and rice, all fascinated the British.

The Opium Wars resulted when the Chinese authorities tried to stop the British East India Company’s supply of opium from India. Britain sent war ships from India to protect their ships and their trade. Chinese junks were no match for the British navy. With surrender, the Chinese ceded Hong Kong to the British. There are some wonderful scenes showing this battle.

One of the first westerners to accommodate the enormous British interest in China was English architect and Royal Academy-trained artist, Thomas Allom (1804-1872), whose passion was historical art. For circulation to the British population (and for us enjoy today), skilled topographical engravers were commissioned to produce steel-engravings of Allom’s sketches for publication in London in 1843. They proved so popular that they were re-issued in 1845 and again in 1849. Today it is the 1845 edition of these engravings that are mostly seen, as they were issued in groups of six with flimsy paper wrappers that rarely survived handling. Traditionally, these steel engravings have been hand-tinted with watercolour to highlight their fine detail.

Allom drew intricate architectural scenes incorporating grand city gates, temples, homes of mandarins and wealthy merchants, and the beautiful porcelain tower (pictured). He showed the elaborate lifestyle of the ruling classes and the general populace at work and relaxing – including an infamous opium den. Along with commodity production processes, Allom shows an “itinerant” barber and “itinerant” doctor at work, and the more leisurely trade of fishing using the cormorants. Elegantly composed scenes incorporate practical bamboo aqueduct and irrigation wheels, colourful celebrations of the 5^th day of the 5^th moon with the dragonboat, the 9^th day of the 9^th moon with kite-flying, and many other traditional spectacles – and even famous burial places.

As populations grow, traditions change, and constructions disappear, we are fortunate that Thomas Allom used his architectural and artistic skill, his dedication and passion, to create a marvellous historic overview of China and the Chinese. These images of a fascinating centuries-old country, are available from time to time. View Thomas Allom's China at www.antiqueprintclub.com/c-29-views-general .

Understand and Appreciate Antique Prints

Understanding the process and Appreciating the work involved in Antique Prints.

For a better understanding of your finely detailed antique print, you might like to know a little about the process involved in its printing. Firstly, “printing” entails the transference of ink from a prepared printing surface (the block, plate or stone carrying the image) to the piece of paper. Ink can be carried on raised parts of a printing surface (relief process), in lowered carved or etched grooves (intaglio process), or on the surface itself (planographic or surface printing).

The relief process is an ancient method, where the relief surface is ready for printing once all the non-printing areas have been cut away from the original surface (as with a rubber stamp), leaving the area raised to receive the ink from a roller.

The intaglio process is almost the reverse of this, as the ink is held in the grooves that have been carved or etched into the engraving plate. The varying intensity of the ink is achieved by the different width and depth of the grooves incised by a hand-guided tool or by etching with the application of acid. After the ink has fully penetrated the recesses, the plate is wiped. The paper is then dampened and is subjected to considerable pressure to transfer the ink from the grooves of the engraving plate. This pressure leaves a plate mark known as the intaglio impression.

The planographic style of printing is the most in use today. With a lithograph the printing surface remains flat as the process relies on the principle that grease repels water. The design is drawn on to the prepared stone with greasy ink; previously a zinc crayon was used. The plate is then washed with water that is absorbed by the stone yet repelled where the image has been drawn. The plate is then rolled over with a greasy printer’s ink that adheres only to the drawn marks as the water repels the ink from the rest of the plate. Then the ink is transferred to the paper through a press. Lithography is rather a complex process even though the principle is straightforward.

APPRECIATING Antique Prints..
For multiple copies nowadays, offset lithography is generally used. For individual instantaneous images, printing is usually done by ink-jet or laser-printing of an image captured by a digital camera. This of course negates the need for all the effort and skill of bygone days; however, the clarity of a digital image, no matter how skillful, will never capture the personal style of the engraving or linework of the early artists. Nor is the amazing history of early discovery imparted in modern direct representation.

The romance of a voyage of discovery, as delineated by an engraver, whether of the charting of a newly discovered coastline or the unusual flora or fauna seen there, was often imaginatively embellished, either from disbelief of the sketch from afar, or personal belief in rumour of alternate knowledge. Antique prints and maps portray the story of the world’s development and sophistication. Unlike digital replication, the fine details of original antique engravings was often also combined with an artist’s skillful colouring by blending watercolours with gouache, gum Arabic, and even in some works, gold or silver leaf, to achieve the exceptional style of each individual work. Antique prints and maps will always be treasured, not only for their beautiful combination and science and art, but also because the rarity of each illustration on paper increases with the passage of time.

Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778)

While we're on the subject of classical artists, we should mention the brilliance of a man whose work is popular today - even though his name is often unknown.

An architect by profession, Giovanni Battista Piranesi was a graphic artist of technical brilliance and of great expressive range. His amazing stone structures often combined fantasy themes from his Baroque training, with his Roman archaeological discoveries. Piranesi's extensive work in the field of Roman archaeology was acknowledged by his election to the Society of Antiquaries of London.

His absorption with classical antiquity was reflected in Piranesi's imaginative restoration of antiquities he found, their subsequent sale, and also their incorporation into creations for his many British patrons and collectors. He is perhaps most famous for his superb well-defined copperplate illustrations of these works - in particular his Urns - which are still appreciated as contemporary decor. These he engraved and etched for "Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi y Sarcofagi, Tripodi Lucerne ed Ornamenti Antichi” published in Rome between 1773 and 1778. They are available as original Antique Prints at www.antiqueprintclub.com/c-22-classicaldesign and Heritage Editions fine reproduction prints at  www.antiqueprintclub.com/c-46-classicaldesign.

Grand 18th Century Classical Architecturals

Have you ever had a great holiday at the other end of the world, and returned, still marvelling at the wonderful classical style found in the centuries old buildings there? You may not be able to build your own stone chateau or even construct a country mansion like you saw in Europe, but have you considered bringing the style into your own home with the stunning designs from wall decoration you saw? The intricate carving and painting of walls and ceilings by important artisans of earlier centuries, were engraved onto copperplates and published to enable the rest of the world to enjoy them.

Some of the grandest of all wall decor interpreted as antique prints are the "pilaster" frescoes designed by Raphaello di Giovanni Santi d' Urbino (1483-1520) for the pillars of the loggia (arcade) to the Pope's private residence at the Vatican. In the 1770's, two hundred years after Raphael and his assistants painted the walls, doors and ceiling arches at the Vatican, an impressive set of grand copperplate engravings were created. Today these are the finest record of Raphael's decorative genius. Two large plates were engraved for each pilaster by skilled artists and engravers. Each pair of original prints from these plates was joined after printing, for publication. These magnificent engravings are remarkable not only as an important visual record of Raphael's stunning designs, but also for the quality and depth of colour that was done by hand with gouache and watercolour.

So great was the importance placed on the grand images of Raphael's pilasters, that ten years later, pairs of the pilasters were engraved half the size of the first publication. Raphael's designs were transposed this time as exquisite finely detailed copperplate engravings that were published in Paris. Once again, they are appreciated not only for their excellent engraving but also for the brilliance of their hand-colouring.

Wall decoration today is able to be moved from one location to another with comparative ease. Today we are able to enclose the work of art with conservation materials for preservation, and display it within a suitable frame. If you too would like to own your personal piece of  classical antiquity, just visit our gallery at Milton in Brisbane, Australia (Wednesday to Friday, from 10am to 5pm); or visit the Classical Antique Print section in our virtual gallery anytime at http://www.antiqueprintclub.com/