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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 / 1610
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
67355
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
13.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89180
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
17 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89171
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
10.25 x 7.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
93710
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
77984
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1610 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
85525
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
96376
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
16 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
93125
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584 circa
Size:
18.25 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89164
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56233
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
98424
Place/Date:
Duisberg, Germany / 1589 (1619)
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
98484
Place/Date:
Cologne / 1584
Size:
13 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
89181
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1595
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
89184
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1690 circa
Size:
18.5 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
Good
Stock#:
72635
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
73478

Archived

Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37472
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595 (1619 ca)
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
49768
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
49903
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51057
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1600 circa
Size:
19 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
51424
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51668
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51615
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1595 (1619 ca)
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
53709
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1578 (1695)
Size:
18 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58488
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1632
Size:
10 x 7.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
72033
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1610 circa
Size:
11 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
94184
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630
Size:
16.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
22493
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
24387
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26103
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
25962
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26495
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26511
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26554
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26684
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26716
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
17 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
31250
Place/Date:
Leiden / 1595
Size:
8 x 6 inches (not including text)
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
32901
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
17 x 12.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37553
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37251
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
39973
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
16.5 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
43055
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1630 circa
Size:
17.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
43640
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
47170
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51823
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1627
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
52026
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1628 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
51390
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619 circa
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
56489
Place/Date:
Duisburg / 1698 circa
Size:
16 x 13.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
58925
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1628 circa
Size:
8 x 6 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
60285
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620
Size:
18 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
22672
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
26166
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
8 x 6 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
29061
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
17 x 13 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
31049
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
36326
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
18 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
37527
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1619
Size:
19 x 14 inches
Condition:
VG
Stock#:
41781
Place/Date:
Amsterdam / 1620 circa
Size:
18.5 x 14.5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
42365
Place/Date:
Duisberg / 1595
Size:
7 x 5 inches
Condition:
VG+
Stock#:
42291