Antique Decorative Map of Nièvre, France by Vuillemin, circa 1850

€ 280

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

Date: 1850
Mapmaker / artist: Alexandre Vuillemin
Technique: Engraving with original hand coloring
Sheet size: 26.1 × 32.5 cm (10.3 × 12.8 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-13331-57

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

Condition report: Very good condition. Minor age-toning near the edges. Light foxing in outer margins. Plate mark visible. No tears or repairs.

About this sheet

Original antique map of the French department of Nièvre, published in Paris around 1850 by the French cartographer Alexandre Vuillemin.

The map was issued as part of Vuillemin’s celebrated decorative atlas La France Illustrée, a publication admired for combining detailed regional cartography with historical portraits, architectural views and ornamental embellishments.

Numbered 57, the map depicts the department’s towns, villages, roads, rivers and administrative boundaries. The borders and internal divisions are enhanced with attractive original hand coloring.

The decorative composition includes the coat of arms of Nièvre, a portrait labeled Adam Billaut de Nevers, a panoramic view of Nevers beside the Loire and an architectural vignette of the Maison d’Adam. Adam Billaut, shown at the left of the map, was a seventeenth-century French author associated with Nevers.

The western part of Nièvre is also closely associated with important Loire Valley wines. Pouilly-Fumé is produced from Sauvignon Blanc, while Pouilly-sur-Loire is made from Chasselas. Both appellations are centred around Pouilly-sur-Loire in the Nièvre department. The Coteaux du Giennois wine region also extends along the Loire towards Cosne-sur-Loire.

An appealing map for collectors of French cartography, Burgundy history, Loire Valley wines, Nevers decorative arts and nineteenth-century engravings.

This is an original antique engraving and not a modern reproduction. It is offered unframed. Any framed images are shown for presentation purposes only.

Place of Publication: Paris, France

Source: La France Illustrée

Department: Nièvre, number 57

Region: Historic Nivernais, Burgundy, France

Condition:

Good antique condition with general age-related toning, light foxing, scattered marks and minor wear around the margins. The original hand-colored borders remain clearly visible. Wear is consistent with age and use. Please examine the images carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.