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Gerard Mercator is one of the most famous cartographers of all time. Mercator was born in Flanders and educated at the Catholic University in Leuven. After his graduation in 1532, Mercator worked with Gemma Frisius, a prominent mathematician, and Gaspar a Myrica, a goldsmith and engraver. Together, these men produced globes and scientific instruments, allowing Mercator to hone his skills.

With his wife, Barbara, Mercator had six children: Arnold, Emerentia, Dorothes, Bartholomeus, Rumold, and Catharina.  In 1552, Mercator moved to Duisburg from Leuven, where he lived for the rest of his life. In 1564, he was appointed the official cosmographer to the court of Duke Wilhelm of Cleve.

Mercator’s most important contribution was the creation and popularization of a projection which now bears his name. On Mercator projection maps, all parallels and meridians are drawn at right angles to each other, with the distance between the parallels extending towards the poles. This allowed for accurate latitude and longitude calculation and also allowed navigational routes to be drawn using straight lines, a huge advantage for sailors as this allowed them to plot courses without constant recourse to adjusting compass readings.

Mercator’s other enduring contribution to cartography is the term “atlas”, which was first used to describe his collection of maps gathered in one volume. The Mercator atlas was published in 1595, a year after Mercator’s death, thanks to the work of his sons, particularly Rumold, and his grandsons.

Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58820
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
73478
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa (1695 ca)
Size:
14 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89187
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
72939
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78289
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78166
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
77984
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1584 circa
Size:
18.5 x 12 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
79434
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
13 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89181
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
13.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89180
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89178
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
14.5 x 9.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89158
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
17 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89171
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89164
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
16 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89170
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
96376
Place/Date:
Duisberg, Germany / 1589 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
98484
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595 (1619)
Size:
19.5 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51367
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51407
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56233
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595 circa
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
55905
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
98424
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1595
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89184
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18 x 11.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87971
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
67355
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13.75 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
75618
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1610 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
85525
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610
Size:
18 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
87340
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18.75 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89659
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
10.5 x 8 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
95290
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
98025
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1610 circa
Size:
17 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
99961
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
17 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
50379
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
41806
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
47147
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
16.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
48695
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
50679
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
21 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
50849
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
50883
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51653
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51722
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51864
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51886

Archived

Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1564 (20th Century)
Size:
17.5 x 15 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
45057
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
19250
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578
Size:
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
19251
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25269
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25433
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26934
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
26947
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
29324
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
29790
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
30868
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
33712
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
33983
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
33795
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
35059
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37414
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
38331pb
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
39399se
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
40216
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
41415
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
54646
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
54911
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
55576
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58271
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58465
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58488
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58496
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58505
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58517
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58566
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58693
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58710
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58757
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58790
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58839
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58860
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58876
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
63608
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
69954
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
70092
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1578
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
86456
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1578 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89174
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1579
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
20984
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1579
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25957
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
13 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
73513
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
13.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78290
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.5 x 12.25 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78287
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78293
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78288