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agora_oldprints_and_maps

Maps and old prints for;collectors, designers and time travelers

26/09/2026

An Original 1970s Old Testament Pictorial School Map 📜🗺️

Prepared in the second half of the 20th century by the well-known Hamburg-based educational publisher Ewald Becker, this massive pictorial wall map (Beeldkaart bij het Oude Testament) is an original Dutch edition designed to visualize the geography of the Holy Land and ancient narratives in classroom settings.

The Fertile Crescent geography—stretching from the Nile Delta and Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Tigris and Euphrates)—is directly illustrated on the map with period events, ancient cities, and figures. Featuring detailed inset panels such as Noah’s Ark on Mount Ararat, the Tower of Babel, Moses’ desert exodus, and the 12 tribes of Israel, it is truly a living table of history.

🔍 Item Details & Condition
Publisher: Ewald Becker, Hamburg (Lehrmittelverlag)
Period: Circa 1970–1979
Language: Dutch (Nederlands)
Dimensions: 167 cm x 167 cm (Large-format school wall map)
Material & Structure: Durable linen-backed paper, complete with original wooden hanging rails and hanging cord
Condition: Excellent condition for its age; colors are exceptionally vibrant, with no tears or missing areas
Usage Area: A striking focal point for spacious living rooms, libraries, workspaces, or vintage and cartography collections

This original map is available at Agora Old Prints and Maps.

26/09/2026

Is history’s greatest mystery hidden near Mount Ararat? 🚢⛰️
This original 1970s Beeldkaart (pictorial school wall map), published in Germany by Ewald Becker, was once used in classrooms to visualize ancient history and biblical geography.
Zoom in on the northern region and you’ll spot an iconic detail: Mount Ararat with Noah’s Ark perched on its peak.
Yet this story reaches far beyond vintage illustrations and ancient lore:
In eastern Türkiye, near Mount Ararat (the Durupınar site), lies a massive geological formation shaped remarkably like the hull of a ship. Even more intriguing, recent ground-penetrating radar scans conducted by scientists have detected symmetrical chambers, passageways, and cavity structures beneath the surface.
Is the alignment between ancient accounts and modern radar discoveries just a coincidence, or is lost history finally surfacing?

Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇

15/09/2026

🌍 The World, Drawn Three Times

Alain Manesson Mallet, Paris, 1683

One single world…
Yet three different eras, three distinct perspectives, three separate realities.

This rare copper engraving comes from Description de l’Univers (Paris, 1683) by the French cosmographer Alain Manesson Mallet, and presents the intellectual evolution of world cartography within a single plate.

🔹 At the top: Carte du Monde de Marc Paul
Attributed to Marco Polo, this schematic world reflects how Europe imagined the world before the Age of Discovery.
America is absent, Asia appears vastly oversized. The map is based not on measurement, but on narrative—not on mathematics, but on travel accounts.

🔹 In the center: Carte du Monde de Jacques de Gastaldi
The great Renaissance cartographer Jacques de Gastaldi unites the Ptolemaic tradition with newly discovered lands.
The Americas now take their place on the map. With clearly defined latitude and longitude lines, the world becomes measurable for the first time.
This map stands as a symbol of the transition from an imagined world to a scientific one.

🔹 At the bottom: Carte du Monde de Miguel Lopez
Rooted in the cosmographic tradition of the Spanish Crown, this planisphere reveals a world no longer merely discovered, but administered.
Its strict grid system, balanced continental proportions, and Europe-centered perspective show how the map has become an instrument of power.

📖 Mallet deliberately places these three maps side by side:
— First, the world was told
— Then, it was measured
— Finally, it was controlled

This engraving is not simply a world map;
it is the history of how humanity learned to understand the world.

🖼️ Paris, 1683
📚 Description de l’Univers
🧭 Agora Old Prints and Maps Collection

07/09/2026

Where the heavens meet the earth. ✨

An elegant French educational engraving from the late 18th century, beautifully illustrating the mechanics and artistry of terrestrial and celestial globes. A timeless piece of history to bring scientific curiosity and classic refinement into any space.
📐 Dimensions: 50 × 35 cm

Based in Amsterdam, Agora Old Prints & Maps specializes in antique maps and rare engravings, working closely with collectors worldwide.

08/07/2026

Johann Baptist Homann – Panorama of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Map (c. 1720)

This rare piece, newly added to our collection, is a fascinating map of Istanbul and the Bosphorus by Johann Baptist Homann, the master who launched the golden age of German cartography.
Dating back to around 1720 (the early years of the Tulip Period), this work delivers a flawless Baroque aesthetic across three magnificent layers:
1️⃣ The Central Bosphorus Map: A captivating maritime route stretching from the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, distinguished by its beautiful, original period hand-coloring.
2️⃣ The Dardanellen Cartouche: A magnificent inset frame adorned with Janissary and soldier figures, showcasing the strategic castles of the Dardanelles.
3️⃣ The Grand Istanbul Panorama: A sweeping skyline viewed from Pera, featuring the Galata Tower, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Suleymaniye Mosque, all detailed via a 30-item index.
✨ Condition Note: The artwork has been finely trimmed to its original neatline and professionally laid onto archival rag paper for long-term preservation. With absolutely no loss to its imagery, this rare piece features exceptionally vibrant colors and will look like a true gallery masterpiece once framed.
📐 58 cm x 49 cm
🏷️ SKU: AGR-1720-IST01
For inquiries, details, or to add this rare piece to your collection, feel free to reach out via DM or visit our website. 🏛️

26/06/2026

John Speed’s carte à figure map of the Roman Empire, titled: A New Mappe of the Romane Empire.

Speed’s ‘carte à figure’ map of the Roman Empire, with ten costume vignettes along the side borders and six bird’s-eye city views across the top edge. It features finely engraved galleons and sea monsters sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. Charted to reflect the golden age of the Roman Empire (Pax Romana) during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, the map includes intriguing nomenclature, such as the Mediterranean explicitly named “The Middle Land Sea”, alongside “The Euxine Sea” (Black Sea) and “The Caspian Sea”. A decorative historical cartouche at the bottom, flanked by camels and a lion, chronicles the rise of the empire.
Engraved on copperplate with period-appropriate hand coloring, this genuine late 17th-century engraving was published in London in 1676 by Thomas Bassett and Richard Chiswell for the final edition of the Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World.

This original antique map was part of our collection and is now SOLD.

Based in Amsterdam, Agora Old Prints & Maps specializes in antique maps and rare engravings, working closely with collectors worldwide.

23/06/2026

A map traces not only boundaries but also the intellectual vision of its era.
This 1676 work by John Speed, who brought early English cartography to its pinnacle, was one of the high status symbols of the 17th-century European aristocracy. Only royalty, aristocrats, wealthy merchants, and high-level intellectuals (such as noblemen famous for their libraries) could purchase and display them in their homes.
Moving far beyond the period of its publication, the work charts the golden age of the Roman Empire during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD (Pax Romana), its most magnificent and stable era.
Featuring bird’s-eye views of six major imperial centers, such as Constantinople, Rome, and Venice along its upper border, the map illustrates traditional costumes along its side panels, while depicting legendary sea monsters and sailing ships across its open seas, transforming geography into a living record of anthropology and exploration.
With its nomenclature viewing the Mediterranean as the absolute heart of civilization, it remains a timeless mirror held up to history.

15/06/2026

You are invited to follow the route where Ponce de León searched for the legendary “Fountain of Youth”! 🗺️✨

This fascinating map, newly added to the Agora Old Prints & Maps collection, was drawn in 1754 by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, the chief hydrographer of the French Royal Navy.

Created using secret charts from the French naval archives, this map carefully shows the historic route (Route de Ponce de Leon) of Juan Ponce de León, the first European to set foot in Florida in 1513. The heart of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and Florida are all here, featuring Bellin’s famous signature pointed peninsula shape. 🌴⚓

With its hand-colored, Rococo-style cartouche in the top right corner, this piece is both a historical document and a unique work of art to decorate your wall.

Click the link in our bio to browse our collection and get more information, or just send us a DM! 📥

11/06/2026

🏛️ The immortal spirit of the ancient world through 18th-century eyes: Ephesus.

For centuries, Ephesus stood as the grandest cultural and commercial powerhouse of the Mediterranean. Even after its bustling harbor fell silent, its ruins continued to captivate the imagination of early European scholars. Published in Leiden, Netherlands, circa 1721-1725, this authentic hand-colored copperplate engraving is a striking testament to that timeless fascination, based on the celebrated accounts of Pitton de Tournefort and Augustin Calmet.

Spanning a history of over 290 years, this original piece stands as a multi-layered document of early archaeological history.

The composition seamlessly combines an early panoramic view with detailed archaeological studies:

The Bird’s-Eye View: The upper section depicts the Citadel of Ayasuluk (modern-day Selçuk), the ruins of the Church of St. John, and the winding Kaystros (Küçük Menderes) River flowing toward the Aegean Sea as it appeared in its quiet 18th-century state.

The Temple of Artemis (Bottom Left): A historical reconstruction of the lost Wonder of the Ancient World, rendered precisely according to the architectural texts of the Roman author Vitruvius. Drawn long before modern excavations began, it remains a unique illustration inspired by classical texts.

The Cult Statue of Diana Ephesia (Bottom Right): The kinswoman and protectress of the city, the iconic multi-breasted goddess of fertility, adorned with her ceremonial polos (tower crown) and traditional animal relief carvings, inspired by ancient coins and Roman copies.

Measuring 32 x 43 cm (sheet size: 39.5 x 53.5 cm), this original antique print stands as a timeless masterpiece for collectors wishing to bring the indelible spirit of ancient cities into their living spaces.

Available via the link in our bio or via DM for inquiries. 📦

05/06/2026

A rare and fascinating thematic world map printed in Ottoman Turkish script (Arabic alphabet) between 1920 and 1928. The main title of the map reads “Topraktan İstifade” (طوپراق دن استفاده), which translates to “Land Utilization / Soil Exploitation”.
The map uses a detailed color-coded system to illustrate global vegetation, agricultural zones, forests, and arid lands across the continents. The extensive statistical chart at the bottom breaks down land usage percentages for Asia, Europe, Africa, America, and Australia. Printed via authentic chromolithography just before Turkey’s 1928 Alphabet Reform.
Specifications:
* Region: The World (Global)
* Language: Ottoman Turkish
* Date: c. 1920 - 1928
* Dimensions: Approximately 20 cm x 18 cm
* Technique: Original Chromolithography (Color stone print)
* Condition: Good antique condition with a clean center fold as issued, minor age-toning, and light wear on the borders. Colors remain vibrant.

Adres

Amsterdam

Website

https://www.etsy.com/shop/AgoraOldPrintandMap?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=1093990440

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