Greece, Antique Map with the Ionian Islands and the Cyclades, 1845

About this sheet

This antique map of Greece, published in 1845, gives the young kingdom as it then stood, with the Morea, Attica, Boeotia, Livadia and the southern edge of Thessaly, together with Euboea and the islands. Athens is marked with Corinth, Thebes, Patras, Missolonghi, Navarino, Sparta, Tripolitza and Nauplia, and the Gulfs of Volo, Arta, Lepanto, Arkadia, Koroni, Kolokythi and Nauplia are each lettered. The Ionian Islands run down the west with Santa Maura, Cephalonia, Zante and Ithaca picked out in red, and Cerigo at the southern tip; the Cyclades fill the east with Zea, Thermia, Siphanto, Milo and Skyros, and Hydra, Spezzia, Poros, Aegina and Salamis cluster in the Saronic Gulf. The mountains of the Peloponnese and Parnassus are drawn in close hachure, ancient ruins are distinguished in the key, and hand applied color in yellow, green and red marks the provinces.

The plate comes from Maps of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, in the new edition corrected to the present time that Charles Knight and Company published at 22 Ludgate Street, London, in 1845, whose first volume covers Europe. The Society was founded in 1826 by Henry Brougham and his circle to publish useful knowledge at a low price. Its maps were issued in parts from 1829, first by Baldwin and Cradock, from 1842 by Chapman and Hall and then by Charles Knight, and the series grew to about two hundred maps. Most of them were engraved on steel by John and Charles Walker, and the outline color was applied by hand.

The plate is signed by J. and C. Walker as engravers. The imprint at the foot names Charles Knight and Company of 22 Ludgate Street, London.

Light overall age toning, with the paper darker along the top edge, scattered foxing in the margins, one or two spots larger than the rest, stains in the margins and handling wear to the top left and bottom left corners.

This is an original antique map, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.