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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 circa (1695 ca)
Size:
14 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89187
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
17 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89171
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18.75 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89659
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
69198
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58899
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78289
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
96376
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
14.5 x 9.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89158
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
16 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89170
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1690 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
72635
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
54833
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
13 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89181
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1584 circa
Size:
18.5 x 12 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
79434
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89164
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1595
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89184
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
72939

Archived

Place/Date:
London / 1635 circa
Size:
9 x 7 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
72064
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595 circa
Size:
20 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
0021gh
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
20 x 16 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
47317
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37262
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
48724
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:
Amsterdam / 1695 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58535
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78288
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
39399se
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58839
Place/Date:
Amsteredam / 1650
Size:
18 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
21633
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
23124
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58525
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1695
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
59100
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
33983
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
38331pb
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 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58790
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58693
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58876
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.5 x 12.25 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
78287
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
16.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58860
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58505
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
26947
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
58517
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
16 x 12 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
12174
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
21736
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
31471sm
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
41767
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
57927
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18.75 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
75604
Place/Date:
Amstrdam / 1605
Size:
8 x 6 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
18499
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
7.25 x 5.75 inches (each)
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
98680
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37143
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1623
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
46553
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1623 circa
Size:
18 x 22 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
43005
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18 x 22 inches (if joined)
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
51525
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18 x 14 inches (if joined)
Condition:
VG-
Stock#:
55906
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
66090
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18 x 14 inches (each sheet)
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
70176
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56378
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1623
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
52034
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1623
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51462