Ancient Bosphorus and Byzantium Map by Ambroise Tardieu, 1825

€ 320

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1825
Technique: Engraving on paper
Sheet size: 19.6 × 24.7 cm (7.7 × 9.7 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-14299-8

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Wear consistent with age and use. Good antique condition with general age toning, scattered foxing and occasional small stains and marks, particularly in the margins. Minor wear and irregularities along the sheet edges. The engraved image remains strong, clear and highly detailed.

About this sheet

Original antique engraved map of the Bosphorus and ancient Byzantium, titled “Plan du Bosphore de Thrace,” engraved by Ambroise Tardieu for the atlas accompanying Jean-Jacques Barthélemy’s Voyage du jeune Anacharsis en Grèce.

This detailed historical map depicts the Bosphorus, the strategic waterway connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, with ancient Byzantium – present-day Istanbul – prominently shown at its southern entrance.

Both the European and Asian shores are rendered in considerable detail, identifying ancient settlements, temples, rivers, forests, harbors and geographical landmarks. Byzantium appears opposite Chalcedon, while the Propontis, or Sea of Marmara, is shown to the south and the Pont-Euxin, or Black Sea, to the north.

Of particular interest is the inset at lower right titled “Plan Particulier de Byzance,” providing a separate detailed plan of ancient Byzantium. It identifies the fortified city, harbor, temples, public buildings and other features associated with the ancient settlement.

The map is an attractive combination of classical geography and early 19th-century cartography and is particularly appealing for collectors interested in Istanbul, Constantinople, the Bosphorus, ancient Greece and the eastern Mediterranean.

Creator / Engraver: Ambroise Tardieu

Title: Plan du Bosphore de Thrace

Publication: Paris

Plate: Pl. 7

Subject: Bosphorus, Byzantium, Constantinople / Istanbul, Turkey

Condition:

Good antique condition with general age toning, scattered foxing and occasional small stains and marks, particularly in the margins. Minor wear and irregularities along the sheet edges. The engraved image remains strong, clear and highly detailed. Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.

Original antique map. Not a modern reproduction.

Sold unframed. Any framed or interior images shown are for presentation and inspiration only.