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- Antique Maps – Recognising the difference between old and modern colouring
Antique Maps – Recognising the difference between old and modern colouring
- By Duncker, Dieter
- Published 20 September 2008
- Maps
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Duncker, Dieter
Over 30 years ago Mr. Dieter Duncker established ‘Antiquariaat Plantijn’, after having purchased an incomplete 18th century book with decorative engravings of Louis XIV on the battlefields.
The collection antique maps and prints is diverse and not contains country and city maps, but also decorative devotional prints, illustrated books, books on travels from the 16th century to 1850, manuscripts and many more. The collection of 'Antiquariaat Plantijn' may be considered as one of the largest of the Benelux.
Antiquariaat Plantijn
Ginnekenmarkt 5
4835 JC Breda
The Netherlands
www.plantijnmaps.com
The Colours Will Tell
Maps come in all shapes, forms, sizes, coloured and uncoloured. Maps have been printed on paper, linen, cotton and other materials. With this article I will focus primarily on maps printed on paper.
The question I will deal with in this article is how to distinguish the difference between original colours and colouring that has been applied at a later date.
History of map colouring
Prior to the invention of the technique of printing through lithography in the 19th century, maps were either printed as a woodblock, engraving or etching. With the exception of some rare woodblock prints which were printed in black and red, all were printed with black ink on [off-]white paper.
As one might expect proud owners of for example the 12-volume ‘Atlas Major’ by Joan Blaeu were eager to show-off their treasure. At the time, the rich and famous had the drive to distinguish themselves from others and publishers met with this demand. Publishers printed their publications lose leaved and uncoloured with the option to ‘pimp-up’ the atlas. A wide variety of choices were offered such binding. The cheapest alternative were simple cardboard boards, followed by vellum, embossed vellum, half leather, full-leather and gold embossed full-leather.
The exterior was one aspect. The interior offered also a few options :
And even then, one map can be more elaborate in its colouring then the other.
To make the contents of an atlas even more appealing and the envy of each viewer, details were added such highlights of gold leaf and/or a thin layer of gum arabic was applied to give more depth to colours.
All these aspects put together, basically determine the wealth and/or status of the first owner of the atlas.
Types of colouring
The type of colouring principally fall in two categorise, being original or contemporary colouring and modern colouring.
Original or contemporary colouring
Original or contemporary colouring is colouring that has been applied at the time the map was printed. Colours were applied before the atlas was sent to the binder. Not uncommon is colouring applied some time after the map was printed. For example a 17th century map or atlas being coloured in the 18th century. This is defined as later colouring.
Maps from pocket atlases are rarely found in original colouring. The vibrant colours on this pocket atlas map are therefore modern.
Modern colouring
Modern colouring is colouring that has been applied at a much later date then when the map was printed. Why colour a map in this day and age ? That is fairly simple. There is more demand for coloured than uncoloured maps. Collectors and those generally interested in maps prefer coloured maps above uncoloured ones, at least for this moment. Both collectors as well as the trade have maps coloured by professionals. And of course there are colourists and ‘colourists’.
It is not unimaginable that this trend will turn and that the demand for uncoloured maps will have the markets preference.
Telling the difference
There are a number of aspects through which you can determine whether colouring is original or not.
Burning Green
The primary component of early colour green, also called 'verdegris' – translated 'Greek Green', is copper acetate. Historically it was prepared in vineyards. Sheets of copper were layered with fermented grape skins and dregs and left exposed to air. The chemical reaction would leave a blue substance on the outside of the sheets of copper. This was then scraped off and dissolved in water. The result was the basic compound for green pigment.
Recto
Nice crisp and well preserved colours
As with all copper based materials oxidation is apparent in due course. Aged green colouring on paper causes oxidation traces and when sufficiently exposed to the elements may turn into the colour brown.
Depending on the thickness of the paper and how well the atlas or map was conserved, traces of oxidation are detectable by looking at the back [verso] of the map.
Recto
Original colouring of borders in green and yellow
Verso
No signs of oxidation of the original colours. The reason is that the map was printed on heavy paper and the colours have not been applied on heavily.
When the oxidation process is so severe the paper may even disintegrate. The colour green basically burns the paper away.
So when you want to judge a map on its colouring : inspect the verso of the map for traces of burning.
Be aware : highly skilled colourist use techniques to mimic the oxidation traces one would expect to find on the verso of an originally coloured map. It is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the difference.
The question I will deal with in this article is how to distinguish the difference between original colours and colouring that has been applied at a later date.
History of map colouring
Prior to the invention of the technique of printing through lithography in the 19th century, maps were either printed as a woodblock, engraving or etching. With the exception of some rare woodblock prints which were printed in black and red, all were printed with black ink on [off-]white paper.
As one might expect proud owners of for example the 12-volume ‘Atlas Major’ by Joan Blaeu were eager to show-off their treasure. At the time, the rich and famous had the drive to distinguish themselves from others and publishers met with this demand. Publishers printed their publications lose leaved and uncoloured with the option to ‘pimp-up’ the atlas. A wide variety of choices were offered such binding. The cheapest alternative were simple cardboard boards, followed by vellum, embossed vellum, half leather, full-leather and gold embossed full-leather.
The exterior was one aspect. The interior offered also a few options :
- outline colours
maps were coloured with only outlining the geopolitical boundaries - full colour [=wash]
the geopolitical boundaries are overall coloured
And even then, one map can be more elaborate in its colouring then the other.
- The sea or ocean can be left uncoloured or washed with a pastelish blue.
- Cartouches are left uncoloured or lavishly decorated by the finest hand.
To make the contents of an atlas even more appealing and the envy of each viewer, details were added such highlights of gold leaf and/or a thin layer of gum arabic was applied to give more depth to colours.
All these aspects put together, basically determine the wealth and/or status of the first owner of the atlas.
Types of colouring
The type of colouring principally fall in two categorise, being original or contemporary colouring and modern colouring.
Original or contemporary colouring
Original or contemporary colouring is colouring that has been applied at the time the map was printed. Colours were applied before the atlas was sent to the binder. Not uncommon is colouring applied some time after the map was printed. For example a 17th century map or atlas being coloured in the 18th century. This is defined as later colouring.
Maps from pocket atlases are rarely found in original colouring. The vibrant colours on this pocket atlas map are therefore modern.
Modern colouring
Modern colouring is colouring that has been applied at a much later date then when the map was printed. Why colour a map in this day and age ? That is fairly simple. There is more demand for coloured than uncoloured maps. Collectors and those generally interested in maps prefer coloured maps above uncoloured ones, at least for this moment. Both collectors as well as the trade have maps coloured by professionals. And of course there are colourists and ‘colourists’.
It is not unimaginable that this trend will turn and that the demand for uncoloured maps will have the markets preference.
Telling the difference
There are a number of aspects through which you can determine whether colouring is original or not.
Burning Green
The primary component of early colour green, also called 'verdegris' – translated 'Greek Green', is copper acetate. Historically it was prepared in vineyards. Sheets of copper were layered with fermented grape skins and dregs and left exposed to air. The chemical reaction would leave a blue substance on the outside of the sheets of copper. This was then scraped off and dissolved in water. The result was the basic compound for green pigment.
Recto
Nice crisp and well preserved colours
Verso
Oxidation traces are clearly detectable.
As with all copper based materials oxidation is apparent in due course. Aged green colouring on paper causes oxidation traces and when sufficiently exposed to the elements may turn into the colour brown.
Depending on the thickness of the paper and how well the atlas or map was conserved, traces of oxidation are detectable by looking at the back [verso] of the map.
Recto
Original colouring of borders in green and yellow
Verso
No signs of oxidation of the original colours. The reason is that the map was printed on heavy paper and the colours have not been applied on heavily.
When the oxidation process is so severe the paper may even disintegrate. The colour green basically burns the paper away.
So when you want to judge a map on its colouring : inspect the verso of the map for traces of burning.
Be aware : highly skilled colourist use techniques to mimic the oxidation traces one would expect to find on the verso of an originally coloured map. It is therefore becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the difference.
